Image forming apparatus and computer-readable storage medium

ABSTRACT

An image forming apparatus, having a recorder, a display, an input interface, a memory, and a controller, is provided. The controller is configured to control the recorder to consume colorant to print images on sheets, count a consumption value and a quantity of the sheets consumed, determine an average usage value based on the consumption value and the quantity of the sheets, obtain a filled amount value and determine a first printable quantity, determine a second printable quantity, control the display to display a first screen including a first object indicating the first printable quantity in the display, control the display to display a second screen including a second object indicating the second printable quantity in the display, and control the display to display a screen including a third object, through which one of the first object and the second object to be displayed in the display is selectable.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 from JapanesePatent Application No. 2017-252599, filed on Dec. 27, 2017, the entiresubject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

The present disclosure is related to an aspect of an image formingapparatus capable of displaying a quantity of printable sheets in adisplay.

Related Art

An image forming apparatus may display a quantity of sheets printable ina remaining colorant in a display device. The image forming apparatusmay calculate an area dimension ratio, which is a ratio of an areadimension of an image with respect to a printable area on a sheet. Theimage forming apparatus may calculate the area dimension ratio each timean image is formed on a sheet and calculate an average image-areadimension ratio. The image forming apparatus may calculate how manysheets of images may be formed in the remaining toner based on theaverage image-area dimension ratio and display the number obtained bythe calculation as a printable quantity in the display device.

SUMMARY

The calculation to obtain the printable quantity may be effective toknow how further images may be formed by the image forming apparatuswhen a style of the images to be printed is approximate to that of theimages used for the calculation. In other words, if usage of the imageforming apparatus is limited to a specific style, e.g., documentprinting or picture printing, the calculated printable quantity may beclose to an actual printable quantity. Meanwhile, if, for example,multiple users use the image forming apparatus for printing images indifferent styles, the actual printable quantity may differ from thecalculated printable quantity, and troubles may be caused. For example,if the image forming apparatus having been used mainly for documentprinting is now used for picture printing, larger amounts of colorantsthan the average document printing may be used, and the colorants mayrun out before the calculated printable quantity of images are printed.For another example, if the image forming apparatus having been usedmainly for picture printing is now used for document printing, as theimages are printed on sheets, printable quantity being the quantity ofsheets of images estimated to be printable in the remaining colorantsmay be reduced in a slower pace than an actual sheet-consuming pace,which may be confusing to a user.

Meanwhile, International Organization for Standardization (ISO)prescribes a standard quantity of sheets printable in an image formingapparatus. In particular, ISO prescribes a standard printable quantity,which is a quantity of sheets printable when an image of a predeterminedpattern is printed on a predetermined type of sheets in a predeterminedimage forming apparatus with a predetermined type of colorant cartridgeattached thereto. The standard printable quantity is a unified standardand may provide a useful reference, which may be reliable to someextent, to users. However, the standard printable quantity may differlargely from an actual printable quantity to a user, for example, forpicture printing.

In this regard, presenting a printable quantity calculated on basis of auser's past usage style and presenting a standard printable quantity mayeach contain an advantage and a disadvantage.

The present disclosure is advantageous in that an image formingapparatus capable of presenting a printable quantity based on a user'spreference between a printable quantity based on the user's past usagestyle and a standard printable quantity, is provided.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an image formingapparatus, having a recorder connected with a container configured tostore a colorant, a display, an input interface, a memory, and acontroller, is provided. The controller is configured to control therecorder to consume the colorant to print images on sheets; count aconsumption value reflecting an amount of the colorant consumed by therecorder and a quantity of the sheets used to print the images;determine an average usage value based on the consumption value and thequantity of the sheets; obtain a filled amount value indicating anamount of the colorant filled in the container and determine a firstprintable quantity based on the obtained filled amount value, thecounted consumption value, and a standard usage value stored in thememory; determine a second printable quantity based on the filled amountvalue, the consumption value, and the average usage value; control thedisplay to display a first screen including a first object in thedisplay, the first object indicating the first printable quantity;control the display to display a second screen including a second objectin the display, the second object indicating the second printablequantity; and control the display to display a screen including a thirdobject, through which one of the first object and the second object tobe displayed in the display is selectable.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium storing computer readable instructionsthat are executable by a computer in an image forming apparatus, whichhas a recorder connected with a container configured to store acolorant, a display, an input interface, and a memory, is provided. Thecomputer readable instructions, when executed by the computer, cause thecomputer to control the recorder to consume the colorant to print imageson sheets; count a consumption value reflecting an amount of thecolorant consumed by the recorder and a quantity of the sheets used toprint the images; determine an average usage value reflecting theconsumption value and the quantity of the sheets; obtain a filled amountvalue indicating an amount of the colorant filled in the container anddetermine a first printable quantity reflecting the obtained filledamount value, the counted consumption value, and a standard usage valuestored in the memory; determine a second printable quantity reflectingthe filled amount value, the consumption value, and the average usagevalue; control the display to display a first screen including a firstobject in a first screen in the display, the first object indicating thefirst printable quantity; control the display to display a second screenincluding a second object in the display, the second object indicatingthe second printable quantity; and control the display to display ascreen including a third object, through which one of the first objectand the second object to be displayed in the display is selectable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a perspective exterior view of a printer 10 according to anembodiment of the present disclosure with a cover 87 at a coveringposition. FIG. 1B is a perspective exterior view of the printer 10according to the embodiment of the present disclosure with the cover 87at an exposing position.

FIG. 2 is an illustrative cross-sectional view of the printer 10according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an attachment case 150 in theprinter 10 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are a perspective view and a cross-sectional view of acartridge 200 for the printer 10 according to the embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the attachment case 150 with thecartridge 200 attached thereto in the printer 10 according to theembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram to illustrate a functional configuration inthe printer 10 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart to illustrate a flow of steps in an image formingprocess to be conducted in the printer 10 according to the embodiment ofthe present disclosure.

FIGS. 8A-8D are flowcharts to illustrate flows of steps in first,second, third, and fourth updating processes to be conducted in theprinter 10 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart to illustrate a flow of steps in an average usagedetermining process according to the embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart to illustrate a flow of steps in an objectsdetermining process to be conducted in the printer 10 according to theembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 11A is a flowchart to illustrate a flow of steps in a printablequantity determining process (ISO equivalent) according to theembodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 11B is a flowchart toillustrate a flow of steps in a printable quantity determining process(consumption basis) according to first embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart to illustrate a flow of steps in an ink remainderindication screen displaying process according to the embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 13 is an illustrative view of a standby screen to be displayed in adisplay 28 in the printer 10 according to the embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 14A is an illustrative view of a first ink remainder indicationscreen to be displayed in the display 28 in the printer 10 according tothe embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 14B is an illustrativeview of a second ink remainder indication screen to be displayed in thedisplay 28 in the printer 10 according to the embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 15A is a first information screen to be displayed in the display 28in the printer 10 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG. 15B is a second information screen to be displayed in the display28 in the printer 10 according to the embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 16A is a change setting screen to be displayed in the display 28 inthe printer 10 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG. 16B is a detailed information screen to be displayed in the display28 in the printer 10 according to the embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments according to the present disclosurewill be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.It is noted that various connections may be set forth between elementsin the following description. These connections in general and, unlessspecified otherwise, may be direct or indirect and that thisspecification is not intended to be limiting in this respect. Forexample, an order to process steps in a flowchart described below maynot necessarily be fixed but may be altered within a scope of thepresent invention.

In the following description, positional relation within a printer 10and each part or item included in the printer 10 will be mentioned onbasis of a user's position to use the printer 10 placed on a horizontalsurface, as indicated by the bi-directionally pointing arrows in some ofthe drawings. For example, in FIG. 1A, a vertical axis between an upperside and a lower side in the drawing may be defined as a verticaldirection 7. While a side, on which an opening 13 is arranged, isdefined as a front side to the user, a horizontal axis between the frontside and a rear side opposite from the front side may be defined as afront-rear direction 8. Further, a horizontal axis between a right-handside and a left-hand side to the user when the user faces toward thefront side of the printer 10 may be defined as a widthwise direction 9.The vertical direction 7, the front-rear direction 8, and the widthwisedirection 9 intersect orthogonally to one another.

[Overall Configuration of the Printer 10]

The printer 10 may form images on sheets in an inkjet recordingtechnique. The printer 10 has a body 14, which is in an approximateshape of a rectangular box. The printer 10 may not necessarily be asingle-functioned printer but may be a multifunction device having otherfunctions such as a facsimile transmission function, a scanningfunction, and a copying function.

On a front side of the body 14, arranged is a display 28, which will bedescribed further below.

In the body 14, as shown in FIGS. 1A-1B and 2, arranged are a feedertray 15, a feed roller 23, a conveyer roller 25, a head 21 with aplurality of nozzles 29, a platen 26 arranged to face toward the head21, an ejection roller 27, an ejection tray 16, an attachment case 150,and a tube 32. To the attachment case 150, a cartridge 200 may bedetachably attached. The cartridge 200 attached to the attachment case150 is connected with the head 21 through the tube 32.

The printer 10 may drive the feed roller 23 and the conveyer roller 25to rotate and convey a sheet loaded in the feeder tray 15 to a positionof the platen 26. The printer 10 controls the head 21 to discharge ink,which may be supplied from the cartridge 200 attached to the attachmentcase 32 through the tube 32, from the nozzles 29. Thus, the inkdischarged from the nozzles 26 may land on the sheet and record an imageon the sheet. The printer 10 may drive the ejection roller 27 to ejectthe sheet with the image formed thereon at the ejection tray 16.

The head 21 is mounted on a carriage 20, which reciprocates in a mainscanning direction. The main scanning direction extends in a directionof depth in FIG. 2 and intersects with a conveying direction, in whichthe sheet may be conveyed by the conveyer roller 25. The carriage 20 maybe moved in the main scanning direction by a driving force from a motor(not shown). The printer 10 may control the conveyer roller 25 to pauseand control the carriage 20 to move in the main scanning direction andthe head 21 to discharge the ink from the nozzles 29. Thereby, a row ofimage may be recorded in a linear path on the sheet that faces with thehead 21 while the head 21 moves in the main scanning direction. Thelinear path faces with the head 21 while the head 21 moves in the mainscanning direction. The printer 10 may further control the conveyerroller 25 to convey the sheet for a predetermined amount so that a nextlinear path in the sheet may face with the head 21 and another row ofimage may be recorded in the next linear path. Operations of recording arow of image and conveying the sheet for a next linear path may berepeated alternately for a plurality of times to form an image on thesheet.

[Cover 87]

As shown in FIGS. 1A-1B, on a front face 14A of the body 14, at arightward area, formed is an opening 85. The body 14 has a cover 87. Thecover 87 is pivotable between a covering position, in which the opening85 is closed (see FIG. 1A), and an exposing position, in which theopening 85 is exposed (see FIG. 1B). The cover 87 may be pivotablysupported by, for example, a lower edge of the body 14, to pivot about apivot axis, which extends in the widthwise direction 9. Inside the body14, in an attachment cavity 86, which continues from the opening 85 inthe front-rear direction, arranged is the attachment case 150.

[Attachment Case 150]

The attachment case 150 as shown in FIG. 3 includes a contact 152, a rod153, an attachment sensor 154, a liquid-level sensor 155, and a lockingpin 156. The attachment case 150 may accommodate a plurality of, e.g.,four (4), cartridges 200 each containing ink in a different color, whichmay be, for example, black, cyan, magenta, and yellow. In this regard,the attachment case 150 has a set of the contact 152, the rod 153, theattachment sensor 154, and the liquid-level sensor 155, for each of thefour cartridges 200. In the following paragraphs, the terms “the contact152,” “the rod 153,” “the attachment sensor 154,” and “the liquid-levelsensor 155” may mean four (4) contacts 152, four (4) rods 153, four (4)attachment sensors 154, and four (4) liquid-level sensors 155, for thecartridges 200 for black, cyan, magenta, and yellow, respectively.Meanwhile, a quantity of the cartridges 200 to be mounted in theattachment case 150 may not necessarily be limited to four but may beless than four, e.g., one, or more than four. In the followingparagraphs, among the four identical items, e.g., the contacts 152, therods 153, the attachment sensors 154, and the liquid-level sensors 155,solely one of them may be described as a representative.

The attachment case 150 has a shape of a box having an inner cavity toaccommodate the cartridges 200. The inner cavity in the attachment case150 is limited by a ceiling, a bottom, a rear wall, and a pair of sidewalls, which define an upper end, a lower end, a rear end in thefront-rear direction 8, and widthwise ends in the widthwise direction 9,respectively. A frontward part of the attachment case 150 across fromthe rear wall in the front-rear direction 8 forms the opening 85 in thebody 14. When the cover 87 is at the exposing position, the inner cavityin the attachment case 150 may be exposed outward through the opening85.

The cartridges 200 may be attached to and removed from the attachmentcase 150 through the opening 85 in the body 14. In particular, eachcartridge 200 may be pushed rearward through the opening 85 to beattached to the attachment case 150 and may be pulled frontward throughthe opening 85 to be removed from the attachment case 150.

[Contacts 152]

The contacts 152 are arranged on the ceiling of the attachment case 150and protrude downward in the inner cavity from the ceiling. Each contact152 is located at a position, where the contact 152 may contactelectrodes 248 (see FIG. 4A) on the cartridge 200, which will bedescribed further below, when the cartridge 200 is attached to theattachment case 150. The contact 152 is electrically conductive andresiliently deformable in the vertical direction 7. The contact 152 iselectrically connected with the controller 130.

[Rods 153]

The rods 153 (see FIG. 3) protrude frontward from the rear wall of theattachment case 150. Each rod 153 is located at a position higher than ajoint 180, which will be described further below, on the rear wall ofthe attachment case 150. The rod 153 may enter an air valve compartment214 (see FIG. 4B) in the cartridge 200 through an air communication hole221 (see FIGS. 4A-4B), which will be described further below, while thecartridge 200 is in transition to be attached to the attachment case150. The rod 153 in the air valve compartment 214 allows the air valvecompartment to be in fluid communication with the atmosphere.

[Attachment Sensors 154]

The attachment sensors 154 (see FIG. 3) are arranged on the ceiling ofthe attachment case 150. Each attachment sensor 154 may detect acondition of a corresponding one of the cartridges 200, i.e., whetherthe cartridge 200 is attached to the attachment case 150 or not. Theattachment sensor 154 may include a light emitter and a light receiver,which are not shown but may be spaced apart from each other in thewidthwise direction 9. When the cartridge 200 is attached to theattachment case 150, a light-blocking rib 245 (see FIGS. 4A-4B) on thecartridge 200 is located between the light emitter and the lightreceiver in the attachment sensor 154. In other words, the light emitterand the light receiver in the attachment sensor 154 are arranged to faceeach other across the light-blocking rib 245 on the cartridge 200 whenthe cartridge 200 is attached to the attachment case 150.

The attachment sensor 154 outputs different signals depending onlight-receiving conditions of the light receiver, i.e., whether or notthe light receiver receives the light emitted in the widthwise direction9 from the light emitter. The signals output from the light receiverindicating the light-receiving condition of the light receiver in theattachment sensor 154 will be called as an attachment signal. Theattachment sensor 154 may output a lower-leveled signal to thecontroller 130 in response to, for example, an intensity of the lightreceived in the light receiver being less than a threshold intensity. Onthe other hand, the attachment sensor 154 may output a higher-leveledsignal to the controller 130 in response to the intensity of the lightreceived in the light receiver being greater than or equal to thethreshold intensity.

[Liquid-Level Sensors 155]

Each of the liquid-level sensors 155 may detect a position of adetectable part 194 (see FIG. 5) in an actuator 190, which will bedescribed further below. In particular, the liquid-level sensor 155 maydetect whether or not the detectable part 194 is at a detectableposition. The liquid-level sensor 155 includes a light emitter and alight receiver, which are not shown but may be spaced apart from eachother in the widthwise direction 9. In other words, the light emitterand the light receiver in the liquid-level sensor 155 are arranged toface each other across the detectable part 194 when the detectable part194 is at the detectable position. The liquid-level sensor 155 mayoutput different signals depending on light-receiving conditions of thelight receiver, i.e., whether or not the light receiver receives thelight emitted from the light emitter. The signals output from the lightreceiver indicating the light-receiving condition of the light receiverin the liquid-level sensor 155 will be called as a liquid-level signal.

[Locking Pins 156]

The locking pin 156 is located at an upper end in the inner cavity ofthe attachment case 150 in proximity to the opening 85 and has a shapeof a rod longitudinally extending in the widthwise direction 9. Thelocking pin 156 is fixed to the sideward walls of the attachment case150 at widthwise ends thereof. The locking pin 156 extends in thewidthwise direction 9 crossing through the inner cavity that mayaccommodate the four cartridges 200. The locking ping 56 may hold thecartridges 200 attached to the attachment case 150 at the position shownin FIG. 5. The cartridges 200 attached to the attachment case 150 mayengage with the locking pin 156.

[Tanks 160]

The printer 10 has four (4) tanks 160 for the four (4) cartridges 200.In particular, the printer 10 has four (4) reservoir sets of tanks 160and cartridges 200: a tank 160 to store the magenta ink, whichcorresponds to a cartridge 200 to store the magenta ink; a tank 160 tostore the cyan ink, which corresponds to a cartridge 200 to store thecyan ink; a tank 160 to store the yellow ink corresponding to acartridge 200 to store the yellow ink; and a tank 160 to store the blackink, which corresponds to a cartridge 200 to store the black ink.

The tanks 160 are located at positions rearward with respect to the rearwall of the attachment case 150. Each tank 160 has, as shown in FIG. 3,an upper wall 161, a front wall 162, a lower wall 163, a rear wall 164,and a pair of sidewalls which are not shown. The front wall 162 mayinclude a plurality of walls that are in different positions from oneanother in the front-rear direction 8. Inside the tank 160, formed is aliquid compartment 171.

Among the walls that form the tank 160, at least a part that faces theliquid-level sensor 155 is translucent. Therefore, the light emittedfrom the liquid-level sensor 155 may be transmitted through the wallthat faces the liquid-level sensor 155. The rear wall 164 may include,at least partly, a sheet of film fused to edges of the upper wall 161,the lower wall 163, and the sidewalls. Meanwhile, the sidewalls of thetank 160 may be unified with the attachment case 150 or may beindependent from the attachment case 150. The tanks 160 adjoining alongthe widthwise direction 9 are divided by bulkheads, which are not shown.The tanks 160 may be in similar or identical configuration to oneanother.

The liquid compartment 171 is continuous with an ink channel, which isnot shown, through a liquid outlet 174. A lower end of the liquid outlet174 is defined by the lower wall 163, which defines the lower end of theliquid compartment 171. The liquid outlet 174 is located to be lowerthan the joint 180, and in particular, a lower end of a through hole184. The ink channel continuous with the liquid outlet 174 is continuedto the tube 32. Therefore, the liquid compartment 171 is continuous withthe head 21 through the liquid outlet 174, the ink channel, and the tube32. In other words, the ink stored in the liquid compartment 171 may besupplied to the head 21 through the liquid outlet 174, the ink channel,and the tube 32. The ink channel and the tube 32, which are continuouswith the liquid outlet 174, are continued to the liquid compartment 171at one end, i.e., the liquid outlet 174, and to the head 21 at the otherend 33 (see FIG. 2).

The liquid compartment 171 is in fluid communication with the atmospherethrough the air communication compartment 175. In particular, the aircommunication compartment 175 is continuous with the liquid compartment171 though a through hole 176, which is formed through the front wall162 of the tank 160. Moreover, the air communication compartment 175 iscontinuous with the atmosphere outside the printer 10 through an aircommunication port 177 and a tube, which is now shown but is connectedwith the air communication port 177. In other words, the aircommunication compartment 175 is in fluid communication with the liquidcompartment 171 at one end, i.e., at the through hole 176, and to theatmosphere outside the printer 10 at the other end, i.e., at the aircommunication port 177. Meanwhile, the air communication compartment 175is continuous with the atmosphere through the air communication port 177and the tube which is not shown.

[Joints 180]

The joint 180 includes, as shown in FIG. 3, a needle 181 and a guide182. The needle 181 is tubular and has an inner cavity serving as afluid channel therein. The needle 181 protrudes frontward from the frontwall 162, which defines the front end of the liquid compartment 171. Theneedle 181 is formed to have an opening 183 at a protruded end thereof.The fluid channel inside the needle 181 is continuous with the liquidcompartment 171 through the through hole 184 formed in the front wall162. The needle 181 is in fluid communication with the atmosphereoutside the tank 160 at one end, i.e., through the opening 183, and withthe liquid compartment 171 at the other end, i.e., through the throughhole 184. The guide 182 is in a cylindrical shape arranged around theneedle 181. The guide 182 protrudes frontward from the front wall 162and is open frontward at the protruded end thereof.

In the inner cavity inside the needle 181, arranged are a valve 185 anda coil spring 186. The valve 185 is movable in the inner cavity insidethe needle 181 between a closed position and an open position along thefront-rear direction 8. The valve 185 at the closed position closes theopening 183 and at the open position opens the opening 183. The coilspring 186 urges the valve 185 in a direction to move from the openposition toward the closing position, i.e., frontward, in the front-reardirection 8.

[Actuator 190]

In the liquid compartment 171, arranged is an actuator 190. The actuator190 is pivotably supported by a supporting member, which is not shownbut is arranged in the liquid compartment 171, to pivot in directionsindicated by counterclockwise and clockwise arrows 198, 199 (see FIG.3). The actuator 190 may pivot between positions indicated by solidlines and broken lines in FIG. 3. Meanwhile, the actuator 190 isrestricted by a stopper, which is not shown, e.g., an inner wall in theliquid compartment 171, from pivoting in the direction indicated by thecounterclockwise arrow 198. The actuator 190 includes a float 191, ashaft 192, an arm 193, and the detectable part 194.

The float 191 is made of a material, of which specific gravity issmaller than the ink to be stored in the liquid compartment 171. Theshaft 192 protrudes in the widthwise direction 9 from a rightward faceand a leftward face of the float 191. The shaft 192 is inserted in ahole, which is not shown but is formed in the supporting member for theactuator 190. Thereby, the actuator 190 is pivotably supported by thesupporting member to pivot about the shaft 192. The arm 193 extendsupward from the float 191. The detectable part 194 is arranged at aprotruded end of the arm 193. The detectable part 194 may be a piece ofplate spreading in the vertical direction 7 and the front-rear direction8. The detectable part 194 is either made of a material or in a colorthat blocks the light emitted from the light emitter of the liquid-levelsensor 155.

When a level of the ink in the liquid compartment 171 is higher than orequal to a threshold position P, the actuator 190, pivoted in thedirection of the counterclockwise arrow 198 by its buoyancy, is held bythe stopper at a detectable position indicated by the solid lines inFIG. 3. On the other hand, when the level of the ink in the liquidcompartment 171 descends to be lower than the threshold position P, theactuator 190 pivots in the direction of the clockwise arrow 199.Therefore, the detectable part 194 moves to a position displaced fromthe detectable position. In other words, the detectable part 194 movesto a position corresponding to an amount of the ink remaining in theliquid compartment 171.

The threshold position P may be at a same height as an axial center ofthe needle 181 in the vertical direction 7 and at a same height as acenter of an ink supplier port 234, which will be described furtherbelow. However, the threshold position P is not necessarily limited aslong as the threshold position P is higher than the liquid outlet 174.For example, the threshold position P may be at a same height as anupper end or a lower end of the inner cavity in the needle 181 or may beat a same height as an upper end or a lower end of the ink supplier port234.

When the level of the ink in the liquid compartment 171 is higher thanor equal to the threshold position P, the light emitted from the lightemitter in the liquid-level sensor 155 is blocked by the detectable part194. Therefore, the light from the light emitter may not reach the lightreceiver, and the liquid-level sensor 155 may output a lower-leveled (L)signal to the controller 130. On the other hand, when the level of theink in the liquid compartment 171 is lower than the threshold positionP, the light emitted from the light emitter may reach the lightreceiver; therefore, the liquid-level sensor 155 may output ahigher-leveled (H) signal to the controller 130. In other words, whenthe signal from the liquid-level sensor 155 is the lower-leveled signal,the level of the ink in the liquid compartment 171 is higher than orequal to the threshold position P. On the other hand, when the signalfrom the liquid-level sensor 155 is the higher-leveled signal, the levelof the ink in the liquid compartment 171 is lower than the thresholdposition P. Thus, the controller 130 may detect the level of the ink inthe liquid compartment 171, whether the level of the ink is higher thanor equal to or lower than the threshold position P, based on the signaloutput from the liquid-level sensor 155.

[Cartridges 200]

The cartridges 200 are reservoirs, each having the liquid compartment210 (see FIG. 2) to store a colorant, e.g., the ink. The liquidcompartment 210 is defined by walls that may be made of, for example,resin. The cartridge 200 may be in a shape thinner in the widthwisedirection 9, and of which dimensions in the vertical direction 7 and thefront-rear direction 8 are greater than a dimension in the widthwisedirection 9, as shown in FIG. 4A. The cartridges 200 to store inks indifferent colors may be either in a same shape or in different shapes.At least a part of the walls that form each cartridge 200 istranslucent. Therefore, the user may visually recognize the level of theink stored in the liquid compartment 210 from the outside through thetranslucent part.

Each cartridge 200 has a body 201 and a supplier tube 230. The body 201includes a rear wall 202, a front wall 203, an upper wall 204, a lowerwall 205, and a pair of sidewalls 206, 207. The rear wall 202 mayinclude a plurality of walls that are in different positions from oneanother in the front-rear direction 8. The upper wall 204 may include aplurality of walls that are in different positions from one another inthe vertical direction 7. The lower wall 205 may include a plurality ofwalls that are in different positions from one another in the verticaldirection 7.

Inside each cartridge 200, as shown in FIG. 4B, formed are the liquidcompartment 210, an ink valve compartment 213, and the air valvecompartment 214. The liquid compartment 210 includes an upper liquidcompartment 211 and a lower liquid compartment 212. The upper liquidcompartment 211, the lower liquid compartment 212, and the air valvecompartment 214 form the inner cavity in the body 201. Meanwhile, theink valve compartment 213 forms an inner cavity in the supplier tube230. The liquid compartment 210 may store the ink therein. The air valvecompartment 214 connects the liquid compartment 210 to be in fluidcommunication with the atmosphere outside the cartridge 200.

The upper liquid compartment 211 and the lower liquid compartment 212are separated from each other in the vertical direction 7 by a bulkhead215 that divides the inner cavity in the body 201. Meanwhile, the upperliquid compartment 211 and the lower liquid compartment 212 are in fluidcommunication with each other through a through hole 216, which isformed through the bulkhead 215. The upper liquid compartment 211 andthe air valve compartment 214 are separated from each other in thevertical direction 7 by a bulkhead 217 that divides the inner cavity inthe body 201. Meanwhile, the upper liquid compartment 211 and the airvalve compartment 214 are in fluid communication with each other througha through hole 218, which is formed through the bulkhead 217. The inkvalve compartment 213 is in fluid communication with a lower end of thelower liquid compartment 212 through a through hole 219.

The air valve compartment 214 is continuous with the atmosphere outsidethe cartridge 200 through an air communication port 221, which is formedin the rear wall 202, at an upper position in the cartridge 200.Therefore, the air valve compartment 214 is in fluid communication withthe liquid compartment 210, more specifically, to the upper liquidcompartment 211, at one end, i.e., at the through hole 218, and with theatmosphere outside the cartridge 200 at the other end, i.e., at the aircommunication port 221. The air valve compartment 214 is in fluidcommunication with the atmosphere through the air communication port221. Meanwhile, in the air valve compartment 214, arranged are a valve222 and a coil spring 223. The valve 222 is movable in the air valvecompartment 214 between a closed position and an open position along thefront-rear direction 8. The valve 222 at the closed position closes theair communication port 221 and at the open position opens the aircommunication port 221. The coil spring 223 may urge the valve 222 in adirection to move from the open position toward the closed position,i.e., rearward, in the front-rear direction 8.

As the cartridge 200 moves to be attached to the attachment case 150,the rod 153 may enter the air valve compartment 214 through the aircommunication port 221. The rod 153 entering the air valve compartment214 may move the valve 222 frontward from the closed position againstthe urging force of the coil spring 223. When the valve 222 reaches theopen position, the upper liquid compartment 11 becomes in fluidcommunication with the atmosphere. Meanwhile, the structure to open theair communication port 221 may not necessarily limited to thosedescribed above. For example, the rod 153 may push and tear a film thatseals the air communication port 221 open.

The supplier tube 230 protrudes rearward from the rear wall 202 at alower position in the body 201. The supplier tube 230 is open rearwardat a protrusive end, i.e., a rear end, thereof. In this regard, the inkvalve compartment 213 connects the liquid compartment 210, which iscontinuous with the ink valve compartment 213 through the through hole219, with the atmosphere outside the cartridge 200. Thus, the ink valvecompartment 213 is in fluid communication with the liquid compartment210, more specifically, to the lower liquid compartment 212, at one end,i.e., at the through hole 219, and to the atmosphere outside thecartridge 200 at the other end, i.e., at an ink supplier compartment234, which will be described further below. In the ink valve compartment213, arranged are a packing 231, a valve 232, and a coil spring 233.

At a center in the packing 231, formed through in the front-reardirection 8 is the ink supplier port 234. An inner diameter of the inksupplier port 234 is substantially smaller than an outer diameter of theneedle 181. The valve 232 may move between the closed position and theopen position along the front-rear direction 8. The valve 232 at theclosed position contacts the packing 231 and closes the ink supplierport 234. The valve 232 at the open position is separated from thepacking 231 and opens the ink supplier port 234. The coil spring 233 mayurge the valve 232 in a direction to move from the open position towardthe closed position, i.e., rearward, in the front-rear direction 8. Theurging force of the coil spring 233 is greater than the urging force ofthe coil spring 186.

As the cartridge 200 moves to be attached to the attachment case 150,the supplier tube 230 may enter the guide 182, and the needle 181 mayenter the ink valve compartment 213 through the ink supplier port 234.The needle 181 entering the ink valve compartment 213 may resilientlydeform the packing 231 and liquid-tightly fit in an inner peripheralsurface of the ink supplier port 234. As the cartridge 200 is pushedfurther in the attachment case 150, the needle 181 may move the valve232 frontward against the urging force of the coil spring 233.Meanwhile, the valve 232 may move the valve 185 protruding through theopening 183 rearward against the urging force of the coil spring 186.

As the valve 185 moves rearward, the ink supplier port 234 and theopening 183 are connected, and the ink valve compartment 213 in thesupplier tube 230 and the inner cavity in the needle 181 are connectedwith each other, as shown in FIG. 5. In other words, under the conditionwhere the cartridge 200 is attached to the attachment case 150, the inkvalve compartment 213 and the inner cavity in the needle 181 form achannel, which connects the liquid compartment 210 in the cartridge 200with the liquid compartment 171 in the tank 160.

Moreover, under the condition where the cartridge 200 is attached to theattachment case 150, as shown in FIG. 5, a part of the liquidcompartment 210 and a part of the liquid compartment 171 overlap eachother in a view along a horizontal direction. Therefore, the ink storedin the liquid compartment 210 may flow in the liquid compartment 171 inthe tank 160 through the supplier tube 230 and the joint 180 that areconnected with each other by an effect of a hydraulic difference.

On the upper wall 204 of the cartridge 200, formed is a protrusion 241.The protrusion 241 protrudes upward from an upward surface of the upperwall 204 and longitudinally extends in the front-rear direction 8. Theprotrusion 241 includes a locking surface 242 and a slope surface 243,which are located to be higher than the upper wall 204. The lockingsurface 242 faces frontward and spreads in the vertical direction 7 andthe widthwise direction 9. In this regard, the locking surface 242 mayspread substantially orthogonally to the upper wall 204. The slopesurface 243 inclines with respect to the upper wall 204 to faceupper-rearward.

The locking surface 242 may, under the condition where the cartridge 200is attached to the attachment case 150, contact the locking pin 156. Theslope surface 243 may, as the cartridge 200 moves to be attached to theattachment case 150, guide the locking pin 156 to a position where thelocking pin 156 contacts the locking surface 242. While the lockingsurface 242 and the locking pin 156 are maintained in contact with eachother, the cartridge 200 is maintained at an attachment position, asshown in FIG. 5, against the urging forces of the coil springs 186, 223,233.

On the upward surface of the upper wall 204, at a frontward positionwith respect to the locking surface 242, arranged is a plate member,which extends upward from the upper wall 204. An upper surface of theplate member serves as an operative part 244, which may be operated by auser when the cartridge 200 is removed from the attachment case 150.Under the condition where the cartridge 200 is attached to theattachment case 150, and when the cover 87 is at the exposing position,the operative part 244 is accessible to the user. When the user pushesthe operative part 244 downward, a front part of the cartridge 200 maypivot downward, and the locking surface 242 may move downward to belower than the locking pin 156. Therefore, the cartridge 200 may bereleased from the attachment case 150.

On the upward surface of the upper wall 204, at a rearward position withrespect to the protrusion 241, formed is a light-blocking rib 245. Thelight-blocking rib 245 protrudes upward from the upper face of the upperwall 204 and longitudinally extends in the front-rear direction 8. Thelight-blocking rib 245 is either made of a material or in a color thatblocks the light emitted from the light emitter of the attachment sensor154. The light-blocking rib 245 is, under the condition where thecartridge 200 is attached to the attachment case 150, located on a lightpath between the light emitter and the light receiver in the attachmentsensor 154. Therefore, the attachment sensor 154 may output thelower-leveled signal to the controller 130 in response to the conditionwhere the cartridge 200 is attached to the attachment case 150. On theother hand, the attachment sensor 154 may output the higher-leveledsignal to the controller 130 in response to a condition where thecartridge 200 is not attached to the attachment case 150. Thus, thecontroller 130 may detect the condition of the cartridge 200 beingattached to the attachment case 150 based on the signal output from theattachment sensor 154.

On the upward surface of the upper wall 204, at a position between thelight-blocking rib 245 and the protrusion 241 in the front-reardirection 8, arranged is an IC chip 247, on which the electrodes 248 aremounted. The IC chip 247 includes a memory device, which is not shown,and the electrodes 248 are electrically connected with the memorydevice. The electrodes 248 on an upper surface of the IC chip 247 areexposed so that the electrodes 248 may be conductive with the contact152. In this regard, under the condition where the cartridge 200 isattached to the attachment case 150, the electrodes 248 are electricallyconducted with the contact 152. The controller 130 may read and writeinformation in the memory device in the IC chip 247 through the contact152 and the electrodes 248. In the following paragraphs, writtendescription such as “reading information in the IC chip 247” and“writing information in the IC chip 247” may be equated with “readinginformation in the memory device in the IC chip 247” and “writinginformation in the memory device in the IC chip 247,” respectively.

[Controller 130]

The controller 130 includes, as shown in FIG. 6, a CPU 131, a ROM 132, aRAM 133, an EEPROM 134, and an ASIC 135. The ROM 132 may storecontrolling program 35, by which the CPU 131 may control behaviors ofthe printer 10. The RAM 133 may serve as a storage area to store dataand signals to be used by the CPU 131 as the CPU 131 executes programs,including the controlling program 35, temporarily, and as a work areafor process the data and the information. The EEPROM 134 may storeinformation, such as configuration information concerning the printer10, which should be saved when the printer 10 is powered on and off.

The ASIC 135 may control behaviors of the feed roller 23, the conveyerroller 25, the ejection roller 27, and the heads 21. The controller 130may drive a motor, which is not shown, through the ASIC 135 so that thefeed roller 23, the conveyer roller 25, and the ejection roller 27 mayrotate. Moreover, the controller 130 may output driving signals todrivable elements in the heads 21 through the ASIC 135 so that the heads21 may discharge the inks through the nozzles 29. The ASIC 135 mayoutput multiple types of driving signals depending on amounts of theinks to be discharged through the nozzles 29.

The ASIC 135 is electrically connected with the contacts 152, theattachment sensors 154, the liquid-level sensors 155, and acommunication interface 34. The controller 130 may access the memorydevices in the IC chips 247 in the cartridges 200 attached to theattachment case 152 through the contacts 152. The controller 130 maydetect attachment or removal of the cartridges 200 to and from theattachment case 150 through the attachment sensors 154. Moreover, thecontroller 130 may detect the levels of the inks in the liquidcompartments 171, i.e., whether the levels of the inks are higher orequal to the threshold position P or not, through the liquid-levelsensors 155.

The EEPROM 134 may store information the cartridges 200 to be attachedto the attachment case 150. In other words, the EEPROM 134 may storeinformation concerning each cartridge 200, in association with the tank160 which is connected with the cartridge 200. The information mayinclude a flag called S_Empty flag, an initial first remainder value foreach of the cartridges 200, and an initial second remainder value foreach of the tanks 160, which will be described further below.

The S_Empty flag indicates whether the tank 160 is in an “ink-empty”condition. The S_Empty flag contains either a value representing “on,”which indicates the tank 160 being in the ink-empty condition, or avalue representing “off,” which indicates the tank 160 being not in theink-empty condition, given by the CPU 130. The ink-empty condition maybe, for example, a condition, in which the level of the ink stored inthe tank 160, i.e., the liquid compartment 171, is lowered to theposition of the upper end of the liquid outlet 174. When the tank 160 isin the ink-empty condition, and if the head 21 continues discharging theink in the ink-empty condition, the nozzles 29 may not be filled withthe ink but the air may be mixed with the ink in the nozzles 29. In thisregard, when the tank 160 is in the ink-empty condition, the head 21 mayno longer be allowed to discharge the ink.

The ASIC 135 is connected with the display 28 and a touch sensor 18 laidover the display 28. The display 28 may display information, which mayor may not be related to the printer 10, and include, for example, aliquid crystal display and an organic EL display. The touch sensor 18may detect a position on a screen in the display 28 touched by the userand output information related to the position. Therefore, when anobject is displayed in the display 28, and the user touches on theobject, the controller 130 may detect a touching action by the user tothe object. A user's touching action on an object in the display 28 mayinclude, for example, tapping, pressing, and flicking.

The display 28 may display screens, including the standby screen asshown in FIG. 13, first and second ink remainder indication screens asshown in FIGS. 14A-14B, first and second information screens as shown inFIGS. 15A-15B, a change setting screen as shown in FIG. 16A, and adetailed information screen as shown in FIG. 16B, in response tocommands from the controller 130. Each screen to be displayed in thedisplay 28 may contain one or more objects, which will be describedfurther below. In the following paragraphs, objects related to the fourcolors of inks, i.e., magenta, cyan, yellow, and black, may bedistinguished by letters M, C, Y, and Bk, respectively. In other words,the letters M, C, Y, and BK, may be appended to objects related to thecolors of magenta, cyan, yellow, and black, respectively. Meanwhile, anobject without a letter M, C, Y, or Bk may represent the overall objectsincluding the object M related to magenta, the object C related to cyan,the object Y related to yellow, and the object B, related to black whenthe objects may not necessarily be distinguished by the colors. Forexample, an eighteenth object 268M, an eighteenth object 268C, aneighteenth object 268Y, and an eighteenth object 268Bk related tomagenta, cyan, yellow, and black, respectively, which will be describedfurther below, may be collectively called as an eighteenth object 268 ina singular form. It may be noted that the ordinal terms (e.g., first,second, . . . etc.) appended to the objects to be displayed in thescreens on the display 28 may not necessarily be related to an order ofsignificance or appearance of some objects over the other objects butshould be considered merely as names of the objects.

[Standby Screen]

The standby screen as shown in FIG. 13 may be displayed in the display28 when the printer 10 is in a standby mode. The standby screen mayinclude function objects 73, which represent functions such asfacsimile, copy, and scan, that are available to the user from theprinter 10. When the user taps on one of the function objects 73, anadvanced screen, which is not shown, related to the selected functionmay be displayed. Moreover, the standby screen may include a settingobject 74, through which the screen to be displayed may be switched fromthe standby screen to a setting screen (not shown), and scroll objects75, through which the screen being displayed may be scrolled in thedisplay 28.

The standby screen contains a twentieth object 270, which indicates aremainder amount of the ink stored in the cartridge 200. In the exampleshown in FIG. 13, the twentieth object 270 is located at alower-rightward area in the standby screen. Meanwhile, the location ofthe twentieth object 270 may not necessarily be limited to thelower-rightward area but may be anywhere within the standby screen.

The twentieth object 270 includes four (4) rectangular figures aligningside by side in a crosswise direction 72 in the display 28. Therectangular figures represent the four cartridges 200: the cartridge 200to store the magenta ink, the cartridge 200 to store the cyan ink, thecartridge 200 to store the yellow ink, and the cartridge 200 to storethe black ink, in the order from left to right. The shape of the figuresto represent the cartridges 200 may not necessarily be limited torectangles but may be in a different shape or may be replaced withsigns. Moreover, the four figures may represent the cartridges 200 fordifferent colors. In other words, the twentieth object 270 may notnecessarily be limited to the examples described herein.

The twentieth object 270 may serve as a switcher object, through whichthe screen in the display 28 may be switched from the standby screen tothe first or second ink remainder indication screen (see FIGS. 14A-14B),which will be described further below.

The standby screen may include a twenty-first object 271, which isdisplayed under a certain condition. In particular, the twenty-firstobject 271 may be displayed when a cartridge 200 to be exchanged with anew cartridge 200 is contained. In other words, the twenty-first object271 may express shortage of the ink in the cartridge 200 and prompt theuser to exchange the cartridge 200 with a new cartridge 200.

The twenty-first object 271 may include, but not necessarily be limitedto, an exclamation mark (!). The twenty-first object 271 may cause theuser to intuitively recognize that the ink in the cartridge 200 isexhausted. The twenty-first object 271 may be, for another example, asign, a character, or a figure other than the exclamation mark, as longas the twenty-first object 271 may be likely to cause the user torecognize the exhaustion of the ink in the cartridge 200.

The twenty-first object 271 may be displayed over a frame of thetwentieth object 270 corresponding to the cartridge 200, which exhaustedthe ink therein. In the example shown in FIG. 13, the twenty-firstobject 271 is displayed over the frame of the twentieth object 270 forthe cyan ink, which is the second rectangle from the left.

The standby screen may include a twenty-second object 272, which isdisplayed under a certain condition. In particular, the twenty-secondobject 272 may be displayed when the cartridge 200 no longer contains asufficient amount of ink to continue printing. In this regard, thetwenty-second object 272 may express insufficiency of the ink in thecartridge 200 and cause the user to recognize that image printing maynot be continued unless the cartridge 200 is exchanged with a newcartridge 200.

The twenty-second object 272 may include, but not necessarily be limitedto, a cross-out mark (x). The twenty-second object 272 may cause theuser to recognize that the ink is exhausted in the cartridge 200 and inthe tank 160, and image printing may not be continued. The twenty-secondobject 272 may be, for another example, a sign, a character, or a figureother than the cross-out mark as long as the twenty-second object 272may be likely to cause the user to recognize that no image printing on asheet may be continued.

The twenty-second object 272 may be displayed over the frame of thetwentieth object 270 corresponding to the cartridge 200, which may nolonger continue printing. In the example shown in FIG. 13, thetwenty-second object 272 is displayed over the frame of the twentiethobject 270 for the yellow ink, which is the second rectangle from theright.

In response to a tapping action to the twentieth object 270 by the user,the screen in the display 28 may be switched from the standby screen(see FIG. 13) to one of the first ink remainder indication screen (seeFIG. 14A) and the second ink remainder indication screen (see FIG. 14B),which indicate remaining amounts of the inks.

[First Ink Remainder Indication Screen]

The first ink remainder indication screen includes, as shown in FIG.14A, a twenty-third object 273M containing a letter M for magenta, atwenty-third object 273C containing a letter C for cyan, a twenty-thirdobject 273Y containing a letter Y for yellow, and a twenty-third object273Bk containing letters Bk for black. Meanwhile, the twenty-thirdobject 273 may not necessarily contain the letter M, C, Y, or Bk but maycontain, for example, sign(s), character(s), or figure(s), as long asthe object represents the color of magenta, cyan, yellow, or black.

The first ink remainder indication screen further includes a seventeenthobject 267M and an eighteenth object 268M. The seventeenth object 267Mindicates a first remainder amount being an amount of the ink stored inthe cartridge 200 for magenta. The eighteenth object 268M indicates thesecond remainder mount being an amount of the ink stored in the liquidcompartment 171 in the tank 160 connected with the cartridge 200 formagenta. The seventeenth object 267M and the eighteenth object 268M maybe located at positions lower than the twenty-third object 273Mrepresenting magenta. The twenty-third object 273M may express that theseventeenth object 267M and the eighteenth object 268M are associatedwith the magenta ink.

The seventeenth object 267M and the eighteenth object 268M align along aperpendicular direction 71 in the display 28. The seventeenth object267M and the eighteenth object 268M may be rectangular bars, each ofwhich has a length extending along the perpendicular direction 71 of thedisplay 28 and a width extending along the crosswise direction 72 of thedisplay 28. The width of the seventeenth object 267M and the width ofthe seventeenth object 267M may be the same.

The first ink remainder indication screen further includes a seventeenthobject 267C and an eighteenth object 268C. The seventeenth object 267Cindicates a first remainder amount being an amount of the ink stored inthe cartridge 200 for cyan. The eighteenth object 268C indicates thesecond remainder mount being an amount of the ink stored in the liquidcompartment 171 in the tank 160 connected with the cartridge 200 forcyan. The seventeenth object 267C and the eighteenth object 268C may belocated at positions lower than the twenty-third object 273Crepresenting cyan. The twenty-third object 273C may express that theseventeenth object 267C and the eighteenth object 268C are associatedwith the cyan ink.

The seventeenth object 267C and the eighteenth object 268C align alongthe perpendicular direction 71 in the display 28. The seventeenth object267C and the eighteenth object 268C may be rectangular bars, each ofwhich has a length extending along the perpendicular direction 71 of thedisplay 28 and a width extending along the crosswise direction 72 of thedisplay 28. The width of the seventeenth object 267C and the width ofthe eighteenth object 268C may be the same. The seventeenth object 267Cmay be arranged at a rightward adjoining position to the seventeenthobject 267M for magenta, and the eighteenth object 268C may be arrangedat a rightward adjoining position to the eighteenth object 268M formagenta.

The first ink remainder indication screen further includes a seventeenthobject 267Y and an eighteenth object 268Y. The seventeenth object 267Yindicates a first remainder amount being an amount of the ink stored inthe cartridge 200 for yellow. The eighteenth object 268Y indicates thesecond remainder mount being an amount of the ink stored in the liquidcompartment 171 in the tank 160 connected with the cartridge 200 foryellow. The seventeenth object 267Y and the eighteenth object 268Y maybe located at positions lower than the twenty-third object 273Yrepresenting yellow. The twenty-third object 273Y may express that theseventeenth object 267Y and the eighteenth object 268Y are associatedwith the yellow ink.

The seventeenth object 267Y and the eighteenth object 268Y align alongthe perpendicular direction 71 in the display 28. The seventeenth object267Y and the eighteenth object 268Y may be rectangular bars, each ofwhich has a length extending along the perpendicular direction 71 of thedisplay 28 and a width extending along the crosswise direction 72 of thedisplay 28. The width of the seventeenth object 267Y and the width ofthe eighteenth object 268Y may be the same. The seventeenth object 267Ymay be arranged at a rightward adjoining position to the seventeenthobject 267C for cyan, and the eighteenth object 268Y may be arranged ata rightward adjoining position to the eighteenth object 268C for cyan.

The first ink remainder indication screen further includes a seventeenthobject 267Bk and an eighteenth object 268Bk. The seventeenth object267Bk indicates a first remainder amount being an amount of the inkstored in the cartridge 200 for black. The eighteenth object 268Bkindicates the second remainder mount being an amount of the ink storedin the liquid compartment 171 in the tank 160 connected with thecartridge 200 for black. The seventeenth object 267Bk and the eighteenthobject 268Bk may be located at positions lower than the twenty-thirdobject 273Bk representing black. The twenty-third object 273Bk mayexpress that the seventeenth object 267Bk and the eighteenth object268Bk are associated with the black ink.

The seventeenth object 267Bk and the eighteenth object 268Bk align alongthe perpendicular direction 71 in the display 28. The seventeenth object267Bk and the eighteenth object 268 bk may be rectangular bars, each ofwhich has a length extending along the perpendicular direction 71 of thedisplay 28 and a width extending along the crosswise direction 72 of thedisplay 28. The width of the seventeenth object 267Bk and the width ofthe eighteenth object 268Bk may be the same. The seventeenth object267Bk may be arranged at a rightward adjoining position to theseventeenth object 267Y for yellow, and the eighteenth object 268Bk maybe arranged at a rightward adjoining position to the eighteenth object268Y for yellow.

The shapes of the seventeenth object 267 and the eighteenth object 268may not necessarily be limited to the rectangles elongated in theperpendicular direction 71 but may be in other shapes as long as theseventeenth object 267 represents the remainder amount of the ink in thecartridge 200 and the eighteenth object 268 represents the remainderamount of the ink in the tank 160. Moreover, the seventeenth object 267and the eighteenth object 268 may not necessarily align along theperpendicular direction 71 but may align along the crosswise direction.

The first ink remainder indication screen may include a twenty-fourthobject 274, which is displayed under a certain condition. Thetwenty-fourth object 274 may include, but not necessarily be limited to,an exclamation mark (!), similarly to the twenty-first object 271described earlier. The twenty-fourth object 274 may be displayed over aframe of the seventeenth object 267 corresponding to the cartridge 200,which exhausted the ink therein. In the example shown in FIG. 14A, thetwenty-fourth object 274 is displayed over the frame of the seventeenthobject 267C for the cyan ink. The twenty-fourth object 274 may indicateshortage of the ink in the cartridge 200 and cause the user tointuitively recognize that the ink in the cartridge 200 is exhausted.

The first ink remainder indication screen may include a twenty-fifthobject 275, which is displayed under a certain condition. Thetwenty-fifth object 275 may include, but not necessarily be limited to,a cross-out mark (x), similarly to the twenty-second object 272described earlier. The twenty-fifth object 275 may be displayed over theframe of the seventeenth object 267 corresponding to the cartridge 200,which exhausted the ink therein, and a frame of the eighteenth object268 corresponding to the tank 160, which exhausted the ink therein. Inthe example shown in FIG. 14A, the twenty-fifth object 275 is displayedover the frame of the seventeenth object 267Y and the frame of theeighteenth object 268Y for the yellow ink. The twenty-fifth object 275may express insufficiency of the ink in the cartridge 200 and cause theuser to intuitively recognize that image printing may not be continuedunless the cartridge 200 is exchanged with a new cartridge 200.

The seventeenth object 267 displayed in the first ink remainderindication screen is in a form similar to the twentieth object 270 to bedisplayed in the standby screen (see FIG. 13). In this regard, thetwentieth object 270 is a form downsized from the seventeenth object267, and the seventeenth object 267 and the twentieth object 270indicate an equal ink remainder amount.

Moreover, the twenty-fourth object 274 and the twenty-fifth object 275to be displayed in the first ink remainder indication screen aredisplayed in conjunction with the twenty-first object 271 and thetwenty-second object 272 displayed in the standby screen. Therefore,when the twenty-first object 271 containing the exclamation mark (!) isdisplayed in the standby screen, the twenty-fourth object 274 containingthe exclamation mark (!) is displayed as well in the first ink remainderindication screen. When the twenty-second object 272 containing thecross-out mark (x) is displayed in the standby screen, the twenty-fifthobject 275 containing the cross-out mark (x) is displayed as well in thefirst ink remainder indication screen.

Meanwhile, the twentieth object 270 may not necessarily change therectangular form thereof depending on the remainder amount of the ink inthe cartridge 200. In other words, the twentieth object may merely serveas the switcher object, through which the screen in the display 28 maybe switched from the standby screen to the first ink remainderindication screen.

The first ink remainder indication screen contains a fourth object 254and a first object 251. The fourth object 254 includes a characterstring “Printable quantity (ISO equivalent).” The first object 251includes a first object 251M indicating a printable quantity (ISOequivalent) for the magenta ink, a first object 251C indicating aprintable quantity (ISO equivalent) for the cyan ink, a first object251Y indicating a printable quantity (ISO equivalent) for the yellowink, and a first object 251Bk indicating a printable quantity (ISOequivalent) for the black ink.

The fourth object 254 may be, but not necessarily be limited to, locatedat a lower position with respect to the eighteenth object 268. Theprintable quantity (ISO equivalent) cited in the fourth object 254denotes a quantity of sheets printable in a current remainder amount ofthe ink if images are hypothetically printed in a test method compliantwith requirements prescribed by International Organization forStandardization (ISO). The test method prescribed by ISO requiresprinting a predetermined pattern of image on a predetermined type ofsheet in a predetermined level of environment (e.g., temperature). Theprintable quantity (ISO equivalent) may provide a unified standard tousers.

The first object 251M may be located at a position lower than thetwenty-third object 273M, the seventeenth object 267M, and theeighteenth object 268M. The first object 251M located at the positionlower than the twenty-third object 273M, the seventeenth object 267M,and the eighteenth object 268M may express that the first object 251M isassociated with the magenta ink. Moreover, the first object 251M may belocated at a position lower than the fourth object 254.

The first object 251M indicates a quantity of sheets printable by theremainder amount of the magenta ink in the cartridge 200 and the tank160. In the example shown in FIG. 14A, the first object 251M indicates aquantity “700,” which suggests that image printing on 700 sheets (ISOequivalent) is presumed to be possible.

The first object 251C may be located at a position lower than thetwenty-third object 273C, the seventeenth object 267C, and theeighteenth object 268C. The first object 251C located at the positionlower than the twenty-third object 273C, the seventeenth object 267C,and the eighteenth object 268C may express that the first object 251C isassociated with the cyan ink. Moreover, the first object 251C may belocated at a position lower than the fourth object 254.

The first object 251C indicates a quantity of sheets printable by theremainder amount of the cyan ink in the cartridge 200 and the tank 160.In the example shown in FIG. 14A, the first object 251C indicates aquantity “200,” which suggests that image printing on 200 sheets (ISOequivalent) is presumed to be possible.

The first object 251Y may be located at a position lower than thetwenty-third object 273Y, the seventeenth object 267Y, and theeighteenth object 268Y. The first object 251Y located at the positionlower than the twenty-third object 273Y, the seventeenth object 267Y,and the eighteenth object 268Y may express that the first object 251Y isassociated with the yellow ink. Moreover, the first object 251Y may belocated at a position lower than the fourth object 254.

The first object 251Y indicates a quantity of sheets printable by theremainder amount of the yellow ink in the cartridge 200 and the tank160. In the example shown in FIG. 14A, the first object 251Y indicates aquantity “0,” which suggests that no image printing on a sheet (ISOequivalent) is presumed to be possible.

The first object 251Bk may be located at a position lower than thetwenty-third object 273Bk, the seventeenth object 267Bk, and theeighteenth object 268Bk. The first object 251Bk located at the positionlower than the twenty-third object 273Bk, the seventeenth object 267Bk,and the eighteenth object 268Bk may express that the first object 251Bkis associated with the black ink. Moreover, the first object 251Bk maybe located at a position lower than a third object 253.

The first object 251Bk indicates a quantity of sheets printable by theremainder amount of the black ink in the cartridge 200 and the tank 160.In the example shown in FIG. 14A, the first object 251Bk indicates aquantity “2300,” which suggests that image printing on 2300 sheets (ISOequivalent) is presumed to be possible.

The quantity to be contained in the first object 251 varies depending onthe remainder amount of the ink in the cartridge 200 and the tank 160.The fourth object 254 including the text “Printable quantity (ISOequivalent)” may serve as a label to cause the user to recognize thatthe printable quantity in the first object 251 being displayed is basedon the ISO standard.

The first ink remainder indication screen may include a sixth object256, which enables the user to change settings for the printablequantity. The sixth object 256 may contain a letter “i.” Meanwhile, thesixth object 256 may not necessarily contain the letter “i” but maycontain character(s), figure(s), or sign(s) other than “i.”

Tapping actions on the sixth object 256 and other objects by the usermay cause the screen in the display 28 to shift to a second inkremainder indication screen, as shown in FIG. 14B. Transition of thescreens in the display 28 will be described further below.

[Second Ink Remainder Indication Screen]

The second ink remainder indication screen contains, as shown in FIG.14B, the seventeenth object 267 indicating the remainder amount of theink in the cartridge 200 and the eighteenth object 268 indicating theremainder amount of the ink in the tank 160, which are similar to thosein the first ink remainder indication screen (see FIG. 14B).

The second ink remainder indication screen includes a fifth object 255and a second object 252. The fifth object 255 includes a characterstring “Printable quantity (consumption basis).” The second object 252includes a second object 252M indicating a printable quantity(consumption basis) for the magenta ink, a second object 252C indicatinga printable quantity (consumption basis) for the cyan ink, a secondobject 252Y indicating a printable quantity (consumption basis) for theyellow ink, and a second object 252Bk indicating a printable quantity(consumption basis) for the black ink.

The fifth object 255 may be, but not necessarily be limited to, locatedat a lower position with respect to the eighteenth object 268. Theprintable quantity (consumption basis) cited in the fifth object 255denotes a quantity of sheets printable in a current remainder amount ofthe ink and is calculated on basis of a quantity of sheets, on whichimages were actually printed in the past, per unit amount of ink.

The second object 252M may be located at a position lower than thetwenty-third object 273M, the seventeenth object 267M, and theeighteenth object 268M. The second object 252M located at the positionlower than the twenty-third object 273M, the seventeenth object 267M,and the eighteenth object 268M may express that the second object 252Mis associated with the magenta ink. Moreover, the second object 252M maybe located at a position lower than the fifth object 255.

The second object 252M indicates a quantity of sheets (consumptionbasis) printable by the remainder amount of the magenta ink in thecartridge 200 and the tank 160 on basis of the ink consumption in thepast. In the example shown in FIG. 14B, the second object 252M indicatesa quantity “500,” which suggests that image printing on 500 sheets(consumption basis) is presumed to be possible.

The second object 252C may be located at a position lower than thetwenty-third object 273C, the seventeenth object 267C, and theeighteenth object 268C. The second object 252C located at the positionlower than the twenty-third object 273C, the seventeenth object 267C,and the eighteenth object 268C may express that the second object 252Cis associated with the cyan ink. Moreover, the second object 252C may belocated at a position lower than the fifth object 255.

The second object 252C indicates a quantity of sheets (consumptionbasis) printable by the remainder amount of the cyan ink in thecartridge 200 and the tank 160 on basis of the ink consumption in thepast. In the example shown in FIG. 14B, the second object 252C indicatesa quantity “150,” which suggests that image printing on 150 sheets(consumption basis) is presumed to be possible.

The second object 252Y may be located at a position lower than thetwenty-third object 273Y, the seventeenth object 267Y, and theeighteenth object 268Y. The second object 252Y located at the positionlower than the twenty-third object 273Y, the seventeenth object 267Y,and the eighteenth object 26Y may express that the second object 252Y isassociated with the yellow ink. Moreover, the second object 252Y may belocated at a position lower than the fifth object 255.

The second object 252Y indicates a quantity of sheets (consumptionbasis) printable by the remainder amount of the yellow ink in thecartridge 200 and the tank 160 on basis of the ink consumption in thepast. In the example shown in FIG. 14B, the second object 252Y indicatesa quantity “0,” which suggests that no image printing on a sheet(consumption basis) is presumed to be possible.

The second object 252Bk may be located at a position lower than thetwenty-third object 273Y, the seventeenth object 267Bk, and theeighteenth object 268Bk. The second object 252Bk located at the positionlower than the twenty-third object 273Bk, the seventeenth object 267Bk,and the eighteenth object 268Bk may express that the second object 252Bkis associated with the black ink. Moreover, the second object 252Bk maybe located at a position lower than a seventh object 257.

The second object 252Bk indicates a quantity of sheets (consumptionbasis) printable by the remainder amount of the black ink in thecartridge 200 and the tank 160 on basis of the ink consumption in thepast. In the example shown in FIG. 14B, the second object 252Bkindicates a quantity “2000,” which suggests that image printing on 2000sheets (consumption basis) is presumed to be possible.

The quantity in the second object 252 varies depending on the remainderamount of the ink in the cartridge 200 and the tank 160. The fifthobject 255 including the text “Printable quantity (consumption basis)”may serve as a label to cause the user to recognize that the printablequantity in the second object 252 being displayed is based on the inkconsumption.

The second ink remainder indication screen may contain the seventhobject 257, which is similar to the sixth object 256 in the first inkremainder indication screen and enables the user to change settings forthe printable quantity. The seventh object 257 may contain a letter “i.”The seventh object 257 may not necessarily contain the letter “i” butmay contain character(s), figure(s), or sign(s) other than “i.”Meanwhile, if the seventh object 257 has the letter, character, figure,or sign same as the sixth object 256, the user may easily recognize thatthe seventh object 257 has the same function as the sixth object 256.

The sixth object 256 may cause the indication of the printable quantityto be converted from the ISO equivalent to the consumption basis, whilethe seventh object 257 may cause the indication of the printablequantity to be converted from the consumption basis to the ISOequivalent, as described further in the following paragraphs.

[First Information Screen]

The sixth object 256 may cause the screen in the display 28 to shiftfrom the first ink remainder indication screen (see FIG. 14A) to a firstinformation screen as shown in FIG. 15A. In particular, when the usertaps on the sixth object 256 in the first ink remainder indicationscreen, the first information screen may be displayed in place of thefirst ink remainder indication screen in the display 28.

The first information screen contains a twenty-sixth object 276 and atwenty-seventh object 277. The twenty-sixth object 276 includes acharacter string “(?) Printable quantity (ISO equivalent).” Thetwenty-seventh object 277 includes a twenty-seventh object 277Mindicating a printable quantity for the magenta ink, a twenty-seventhobject 277C indicating a printable quantity for the cyan ink, atwenty-seventh object 277Y indicating a printable quantity for theyellow ink, and a twenty-seventh object 277Bk indicating a printablequantity for the black ink.

The twenty-sixth object 276 may be displayed at an uppermost area in thefirst information screen. The twenty-sixth object 276 indicates that theprintable quantity currently being displayed is based on the ISOstandard. In this regard, the twenty-sixth object 276 may notnecessarily be limited to the character string but may include, forexample, character(s), sign(s), or figure(s) as long as the content ofthe twenty-sixth object 276 indicates the printable quantity calculatedon basis of the ISO standard.

The twenty-seventh object 277 may be displayed at a position lower thanthe twenty-sixth object 276. Among the twenty-seventh objects 277M,277C, 277Y, 277Bk, the twenty-seventh object 277M may be displayed at aleftmost position in the first information screen, the twenty-seventhobject 277C may be displayed at a rightward adjoining position to thetwenty-seventh object 277M, the twenty-seventh object 277Y may bedisplayed at a rightward adjoining position to the twenty-seventh object277C, and the twenty-seventh object 277Bk may be displayed at arightward adjoining position to the twenty-seventh object 277Y. In otherwords, the twenty-seventh objects 277M, 277C, 277Y, 277Bk align side byside in the same order as the twenty-third objects 273M, 273C, 273Y,273Bk in the first ink remainder indication screen (see FIG. 14A).

The twenty-seventh object 277M contains, in the example shown in FIG.15A, a letter “M” and a number “700,” which indicate that image printingon 700 sheets on basis of the ISO standard is presumed to be possiblewith the currently remaining magenta ink, similarly to the twenty-thirdobject 273M and the first object 251M in the first ink remainderindication screen (see FIG. 14A). The twenty-seventh object 277Ccontains, in the example shown in FIG. 15A, a letter “C” and a number“200,” which indicate that image printing on 200 sheets on basis of theISO standard is presumed to be possible with the currently remainingcyan ink, similarly to the twenty-third object 273C and the first object251C in the first ink remainder indication screen (see FIG. 14A). Thetwenty-seventh object 277Y contains, in the example shown in FIG. 15A, aletter “Y” and a number “0,” which indicate that no image printing on asheet on basis of the ISO standard is presumed to be possible with thecurrently remaining yellow ink, similarly to the twenty-third object273Y and the first object 251Y in the first ink remainder indicationscreen (see FIG. 14A). The twenty-seventh object 277Bk contains, in theexample shown in FIG. 15A, letters “Bk” and a number “2300,” whichindicate that image printing on 2300 sheets on basis of the ISO standardis presumed to be possible with the currently remaining black ink,similarly to the twenty-third object 273Bk and the first object 251Bk inthe first ink remainder indication screen (see FIG. 14A).

The first information screen contains an eighth object 258, whichincludes a character string “Calculation is based on document andconditional environment prescribed by the general document yieldstandard “ISO/IEC24711” to explain the printable quantity on basis ofthe ISO standard. The eighth object 258 may be located at a positionlower than the twenty-seventh object 277. The text of the characterstring in the eighth object 258 may not necessarily be limited to thesentence shown in FIG. 15A but may include or may be replaced withdifferent word(s) or sentence(s).

The first information screen contains a third object 253 and athirteenth object 263. The third object 253 contains character strings“Change settings” and may be located at a position lower than the eighthobject 258. The thirteenth object 263 contains a character string“Return” and may be located at a position lower than the eighth object258 and rightward from the third object 253.

The third object 253 may serve as a switcher object, through which thescreen in the display 28 is switched from the first information screen,as shown in FIG. 15A, to a change setting screen, as shown in FIG. 16A.The text in the third object 253 may not necessarily be limited to thecharacter strings “Change setting” as shown in FIG. 15A but may bereplaced with different word(s), symbol(s), or figure(s) as long as thethird object 253 suggests that the first information screen may beshifted to the change setting screen through the third object 253.

The thirteenth object 263 is a switcher object, through which the screenin the display 28 is switched from the first information screen, asshown in FIG. 15A, to the first ink remainder indication screen, asshown in FIG. 14A. The text in the thirteenth object 263 may notnecessarily be limited to the character string “Return” as shown in FIG.15A but may be replaced with different word(s), symbol(s), or figure(s)as long as the thirteenth object 263 suggests that the first informationscreen may be shifted to the first ink remainder indication screenthrough the thirteenth object 263.

The twenty-sixth object 276, the twenty-seventh object 277, the eighthobject 258, the third object 253, and the thirteenth object 263 may notnecessarily be located to the positions described above or shown in FIG.15A but may be located at any positions within the first informationscreen.

[Second Information Screen]

The seventh object 257 as shown in FIG. 14B may cause the screen in thedisplay 28 to shift from the second ink remainder indication screen (seeFIG. 14B) to a second information screen as shown in FIG. 15B. Inparticular, when the user taps on the seventh object 257 in the secondink remainder indication screen, the second information screen may bedisplayed in place of the second ink remainder indication screen in thedisplay 28.

The second information screen contains a twenty-eighth object 278 and atwenty-ninth object 279. The twenty-eighth object 278 includes acharacter string “(?) Printable quantity (consumption basis).” Thetwenty-ninth object 279 includes a twenty-ninth object 279M indicating aprintable quantity for the magenta ink, a twenty-ninth object 279Cindicating a printable quantity for the cyan ink, a twenty-ninth object279Y indicating a printable quantity for the yellow ink, and atwenty-ninth object 279Bk indicating a printable quantity for the blackink.

The twenty-eighth object 278 may be displayed at an uppermost area inthe second information screen. The twenty-eighth object 278 indicatesthat the printable quantity currently being displayed is based on theink consumption in the past. In this regard, the twenty-eighth object278 may not necessarily be limited to the character string but mayinclude, for example, character(s), sign(s), or figure(s) as long as thecontent of the twenty-eighth object 278 indicates the printable quantitycalculated on basis of the past ink consumption.

The twenty-ninth object 279 may be displayed at a position lower thanthe twenty-eighth object 278. Among the twenty-ninth object 279M, 279C,279Y, 279Bk, the twenty-ninth object 279M may be displayed at a leftmostposition in the second information screen, the twenty-ninth object 279Cmay be displayed at a rightward adjoining position to the twenty-ninthobject 279M, the twenty-ninth object 279Y may be displayed at arightward adjoining position to the twenty-ninth object 279C, and thetwenty-ninth object 279Bk may be displayed at a rightward adjoiningposition to the twenty-ninth object 279Y. In other words, thetwenty-ninth objects 279M, 279C, 279Y, 279Bk align side by side in thesame order as the twenty-third objects 273M, 273C, 273Y, 273Bk in thesecond ink remainder indication screen (see FIG. 14B).

The twenty-ninth object 279M contains, in the example shown in FIG. 15B,a letter “M” and a number “500,” which indicate that image printing on500 sheets on basis of the ink consumption is presumed to be possiblewith the currently remaining magenta ink, similarly to the twenty-thirdobject 273M and the second object 252M in the second ink remainderindication screen (see FIG. 14B). The twenty-ninth object 279C contains,in the example shown in FIG. 15B, a letter “C” and a number “150,” whichindicate that image printing on 150 sheets on basis of the inkconsumption is presumed to be possible with the currently remaining cyanink, similarly to the twenty-third object 273C and the second object252C in the second ink remainder indication screen (see FIG. 14B). Thetwenty-ninth object 279Y contains, in the example shown in FIG. 15B, aletter “Y” and a number “0,” which indicate that no image printing on asheet on basis of the ink consumption is presumed to be possible withthe currently remaining yellow ink, similarly to the twenty-third object273Y and the second object 252Y in the second ink remainder indicationscreen (see FIG. 14B). The twenty-ninth object 279Bk contains, in theexample shown in FIG. 15B, letters “Bk” and a number “2000,” whichindicate that image printing on 2000 sheets on basis of the inkconsumption is presumed to be possible with the currently remainingblack ink, similarly to the twenty-third object 273Bk and the secondobject 252Bk in the second ink remainder indication screen (see FIG.14B).

The second information screen contains a ninth object 259, whichcontains a character string “Calculation is based on the amount of inkconsumed under your document and conditional environment” to explain theprintable quantity on basis of the user's ink consumption. The ninthobject 259 may be located at a position lower than the twenty-ninthobject 279. The text of the character string in the ninth object 259 maynot necessarily be limited to the sentence shown in FIG. 15B but mayinclude or may be replaced with different word(s) or sentence(s).

The second information screen contains the third object 253 and afourteenth object 264. The third object 253 contains character strings“Change settings” and may be located at a position lower than the ninthobject 259. The fourteenth object 264 contains a character string“Return” and may be located at a position lower than the ninth object259 and rightward from the third object 253.

The third object 253 may serve as a switcher object, through which thescreen in the display 28 is switched from the second information screen,as shown in FIG. 15B, to the change setting screen, as shown in FIG.16A. The content in the third object 253 may not necessarily be limitedto the character strings “Change setting” as shown in FIG. 15B but maybe replaced with different word(s), symbol(s), or figure(s) as long asthe third object 253 suggests that the second information screen may beshifted to the change setting screen through the third object 253.

The fourteenth object 264 is a switcher object, through which the screenin the display 28 is switched from the second information screen, asshown in FIG. 15B, to the second ink remainder indication screen, asshown in FIG. 14B. The content in the fourteenth object 264 may notnecessarily be limited to the word “Return” as shown in FIG. 15B but maybe replaced with different word(s), symbol(s), or figure(s) as long asthe fourteenth object 264 suggests that the second information screenmay be shifted to the second ink remainder indication screen through thefourteenth object 264.

The twenty-eighth object 278, the twenty-ninth object 279, the ninthobject 259, the third object 253, and the fourteenth object 264 may notnecessarily be located to the positions described above or shown in FIG.15B but may be located at any positions within the second informationscreen.

[Change Setting Screen]

The change setting screen as shown in FIG. 16A contains a tenth object260, which contains a character string “Setting for printable quantityindication,” which suggests options for settings to display theprintable quantity between the printable quantity based on the ISOstandard and the printable quantity on the consumption basis. Thecontent of the tenth object 260 may not necessarily be limited to thecharacter string but may include, for example, character(s), sign(s), orfigure(s) as long as the content of the tenth object 260 suggests thatone of the setting options for the printable quantity is selectablebetween the printable quantity based on the ISO standard and theprintable quantity on the consumption basis.

The change setting screen contains an eleventh object 261 and a twelfthobject 262. The eleventh object 261 includes character strings: “ISOequivalent” and “Calculation based on ISO standard.” The twelfth object262 includes character strings: “Consumption basis” and “Calculationbased on ink consumption.” The eleventh object 261 may be located at aposition lower than the tenth object 260. The twelfth object 262 may belocated to at a position lower than the eleventh object 261.

The eleventh object 261 may cause the printable quantity calculated onISO standard basis to be displayed in the first ink remainder indicationscreen (see FIG. 14A). Moreover, the eleventh object 261 may serve as aswitcher object, through which the screen in the display 28 may beswitched from the change setting screen, as shown in FIG. 16A, to thefirst information screen, as shown in FIG. 15A. A tapping action on theeleventh object 261 by the user may cause the screen in the display 28to shift from the change setting screen to the first information screen.

The twelfth object 262 may cause the printable quantity calculated onthe ink consumption basis to be displayed in the second ink remainderindication screen (see FIG. 14B). Moreover, the twelfth object 262 mayserve as a switcher object, through which the screen in the display 28may be switched from the change setting screen, as shown in FIG. 16A, tothe second information screen, as shown in FIG. 15B. A tapping action onthe twelfth object 262 by the user may cause the screen in the display28 to shift from the change setting screen to the second informationscreen.

The change setting screen as shown in FIG. 16A contains a fifteenthobject 265, which contains a character string “About printable quantityindication.” The fifteenth object 265 may be located at a position lowerthan the twelfth object 262.

The tenth object 260, the eleventh object 261, the twelfth object 262,and the fifteenth object 265 may not necessarily be located to thepositions described above or shown in FIG. 16A but may be located at anypositions within the change setting screen.

The fifteenth object 265 may serve as a switcher object, through whichthe screen in the display 28 may be switched from the change settingscreen, as shown in FIG. 16A, to a detailed information screen, as shownin FIG. 16B. In other words, the fifteenth object 265 is linked to thedetailed information screen, and the fifteenth object 265 indicatesconnection to the detailed information screen. A tapping action on thefifteenth object 265 by the user may cause the screen in the display 28to shift from the change setting screen to the detailed informationscreen. The content of the fifteenth object 265 may not necessarily belimited to the character string as described above of shown in FIG. 16Abut may include, for example, character(s), sign(s), or figure(s) aslong as the content of the tenth object 260 suggests that the changesetting screen may be shifted to the detailed information screen throughthe tenth object 260.

[Detailed Information Screen]

The detailed information screen contains a thirtieth object 280, whichcontains a character string “(?) About printable quantity” to suggestthat the detailed information screen explains the printable quantities.The content of the thirtieth object 280 may not necessarily be limitedto the character string as described above or shown in FIG. 16B but mayinclude, for example, character(s), sign(s), or figure(s) as long as thecontent of the thirtieth object 260 suggests that the detailedinformation is an informative screen to explain the printable quantity.

The detailed information screen contains a sixteenth object 266, whichcontains character strings “ISO equivalent,” “Calculate printablequantity based on ISO standard,” “Consumption basis,” and “Based on yourink consumption.” In other words, the sixteenth object 266 describes theprintable quantity on the ISO standard basis and the printable quantityon basis of the ink consumption so that the user may recognize thedifference between the printable quantities on the ISO standard basisand the ink consumption basis. The content of the sixteenth object 266may not necessarily be limited to the text as described above or shownin FIG. 16B but may include or may be replaced with different word(s) orsentence(s) as long as the content of the sixteenth object 266 providesdescriptive information concerning the printable quantity on basis ofISO standard and the printable quantity on basis of the ink consumption.

Moreover, the detailed information screen may contain, as shown in FIG.16B, scroll objects 76, through which the screen being displayed may bescrolled in the display 28.

The detailed information screen contains a thirty-first object 281,which contains a character string “OK.” The thirty-first object 281serves as a switcher object, through which the screen in the display 28may be switched from the detailed information screen, as shown in FIG.16B, to the change setting screen, as shown in FIG. 16A. A tappingaction on the thirty-first object 281 by the user may cause the screenin the display 28 to shift from the detailed information screen to thechange setting screen.

[Processes in the Printer 10]

Processes to be taken the printer 10 will be described with reference tothe flowcharts shown in FIGS. 7-12 and the drawings in FIGS. 13 through15A-15B. Processes described in the following paragraphs and illustratedin the flowcharts in FIGS. 7-12 may be implemented by the CPU 131running the controlling program 35 stored in the ROM 132 or by ahardware circuit (not shown) mounted on the controller 130 (see FIG. 6).An order to process the steps in the flowcharts may not necessarily befixed to the flow described below but may be altered within a scope ofthe present invention as set forth in the appended claims.

[Image Forming Process]

The controller 130 activates an image forming process as shown in FIG. 7in response to input of a print command in the printer 10. The printcommand by the user may be received through, for example, but notnecessarily limited to, the operation panel 22 or the display 28. Foranother example, the print command may be received from an externaldevice through the communication interface 34. In the followingparagraphs, each of the cartridges 200 for magenta, cyan, yellow, andblack inks and each of the four tanks 160 for magenta, cyan, yellow, andblack inks may be collectively called as the cartridge 200 and the tank160, respectively, in the singular form. In other words, each of thesteps in the processes described below may be repeated for four timesfor the four colored inks although the steps in the processes may bedescribed solely once.

In S11, the controller 130 determines the value in the S_Empty flag forthe cartridge 200. In other words, the controller 130 determines whetherthe printer 10 contains the sufficient amount of ink to print an imageon a sheet. If the controller 130 determines that the S_Empty flags ison (S11: ON), in S12, the controller 130 obtains the attachment signalfor the cartridge 200. In S13, the controller 130 determines whether theattachment signal for the cartridge 200 changes from the lower level (L)to the higher level (H) and thereafter from the higher level (H) to thelower level (L). In other words, the controller 130 monitors the changesin the attachment signals to determine whether the cartridge 200 withthe lowered ink level has been exchanged with another cartridge 200.

In S13, if the controller 130 determines that the cartridge 200 has notbeen exchanged (S13: NO), the flow returns to S12 and obtains theattachment signal for another round. In S13, if the controller 130determines that the cartridge 200 has been exchanged with anothercartridge 200 (S13: YES), the flow proceeds to a first updating processin S14. Alternatively to S12-S13, the controller 130 may conduct anotherprocess to determine the exchange of the cartridges 200. For example,the controller 130 may read the IC chip 247 in the cartridge 200 toobtain a serial number of the cartridge 200 and determine whether theobtained serial number matches a serial number having been saved in theEEPROM 134.

[First Updating Process]

The first updating process shown in FIG. 8A may be conducted in order toupdate a first remainder value, which indicates the first remainderamount, and a second remainder value, which indicates the secondremainder amount, when the cartridges 200 are exchanged. As mentionedearlier, the first remainder amount is an amount of the ink remaining inthe cartridge 200, and the second remainder amount is an amount of theink remaining in the tank 160.

In S31, the controller 130 obtains an initially filled amount value,which indicates an amount of the ink initially loaded in the cartridge200. The controller 130 may read type information in the IC chip 247 inthe cartridge 200 and obtain the initially filled amount valuecorresponding to the type information from the EEPROM 134. In the EEPROM134, a table indicating correspondence between the type information andthe initially filled amount value is prepared and stored in advance.Alternatively, the controller 130 may obtain an initial value for thefirst remainder value stored in the IC chip 247 in the cartridge 200 anduse the obtained initial value as the initially filled amount value.

In S32, the controller 130 reads the second remainder value in the RAM133. The second remainder value indicates an amount of the ink havingbeen stored in the tank 160 immediately before the cartridge 200 wasexchanged.

In S33, the controller 130 adds the initially filled amount value to thesecond remainder value to calculate a total remainder value, whichindicates a total remainder amount of the ink. In S34, the controller130 updates the first remainder value and the second remainder value forthe new cartridge 200 based on the total remainder value calculated inS130. When the new cartridge 200 is attached to the attachment case 150,a portion of the ink in the cartridge 200 may flow into the liquidcompartment 171 in the tank 160. In this regard, the level of the ink inthe cartridge 200 may be lowered, and the level of the ink in the tank160 may rise. In this regard, the updated first remainder valueindicates the amount of the ink remaining in the cartridge 200 after theportion of the ink flowed into the tank 160, and the updated secondremainder value indicates the amount of the ink in the tank 160 thataccepted the ink flowed from the cartridge 200. The first remaindervalue and the second remainder value may be updated by, for example,calculation through a function formula or based on a table as describedin the following paragraph.

The shapes of the liquid compartment 210 in the cartridge 200 and theliquid compartment 171 in the tank 160 are fixed and known to themanufacturer prior to shipping. Therefore, based on the shapes of theliquid compartment 210 and the liquid compartment 171, and based on thetotal remainder value, the first remainder value and the secondremainder value are obvious to the manufacturer. Therefore, formulas, bywhich the first remainder value and the second remainder value arecalculated based on the total remainder value, or a table, in which thetotal remainder value is associated with the first remainder value andthe second remainder value, may be prepared in advance and stored in theEEPROM 134 by the manufacturer. The controller 130 may determine thefirst remainder value and the second remainder value based on theformulas or the table.

In S35, the controller 130 saves the newly determined first remaindervalue as an initial first remainder value in the EEPROM 134 and in theRAM 133. Further, the controller 130 writes the new first remaindervalue over the existing first remainder value in the memory device inthe IC chip 247. Moreover, the controller 130 saves the newly determinedsecond remainder value as an initial second remainder value in the EPROM134 and in the RAM 133. The first updating process ends thereat. Theflow returns to S14 in FIG. 7.

Following the first updating process in S14, in S15, the controller 130sets the S_Empty flag off and returns to S11.

In S11, the controller 130 determines the value in the S_Empty flag forthe cartridge 200. If the controller 130 determines that the S_Emptyflag is off (S11: OFF), in S16, the controller 130 forms an image on asheet. Forming an image on a sheet consumes inks; therefore, the levelsof the inks in the tanks 160 may be lowered. In this regard, in S17, thecontroller obtains the liquid-level signals before and after forming theimage in S16 from the liquid-level sensor 155.

In S18, the controller 130 determines whether the obtained liquid-levelsignals indicate a change in the liquid level in the tank 160. If thecontroller 130 determines that the liquid-level signals stay unchangedat the lower level (L) (S18: L->L), the controller 130 determines thatthe ink in the cartridge 200 is not exhausted. In this regard, asmentioned earlier, the liquid-level sensor 155 outputs the lower-leveledsignal (L) when the level of the ink in the liquid compartment 171 ishigher than the threshold position P (see FIG. 3). The flow proceeds toS19, and the controller 130 conducts a second updating process.

[Second Updating Process]

In the second updating process shown in FIG. 8B, the controller 130 maydetermine new values for the first remainder value and the secondremainder value based on a discharged amount value, which indicates anamount of the ink discharged in the image forming in the past. Thedischarged amount value for the ink may be obtained, for example, bymultiplying a voltage value, which may define a size of an ink dropletto be discharged from the head 21, by a quantity of ink droplets havingbeen discharged in the image forming in the past. The controller 130 maycalculate the discharged amount value each time when the controller 130commands the head 21 to discharge the ink. The discharged amount valuesmay be accumulated from the time of the exchange of the cartridges 200up to the current moment. The accumulated discharged amount values willbe called as a total discharged amount value. In other words, the totaldischarged amount value is a sum of the amount of the ink consumed bythe head 21 from the time of the exchange of the cartridges 200 up tothe current moment. The total discharged amount value may be stored inthe EEPROM 134.

In the second updating process, in S41, the controller 130 reads theinitial first remainder value in either the RAM 133 or the EEPROM 134and reads the initial second remainder value in either the RAM 133 orthe EEPROM 134. In S42, the controller 130 reads the total dischargedamount value in the EEPROM 134. In S43, the controller 130 adds theinitial first remainder value and the initial second remainder valueread in S42 to calculate an initial total remainder value and subtractsthe total discharged amount value from the initial total remainder valueto calculate a current total remainder value. In S44, the controller 130determines new values for the first remainder value and the secondremainder value based on the formulas or the table, in the same manneras S34 in FIG. 8A.

In S45, the controller 130 stores the newly determined first remaindervalue in the RAM 133 and in the memory device in the IC chip 247 tooverwrite the existing first remainder value in the memory device.Moreover, in S46, the controller 130 stores the newly determined secondremainder value in the RAM 133. The second updating process endsthereat. The flow returns to S19 in FIG. 7.

Following the second updating process in S19, in S22, the controller 130determines whether a next image to be printed on a new sheet is inqueue. If the next image is in queue (S22: YES), the flow repeats S11and the steps onward. If no next image is in queue (S22: NO), the imageforming process ends thereat.

The first remainder value and the second remainder value may notnecessarily be determined in the method described above but may bedetermined in a different method.

In S11, if the controller 130 determines that the S_Empty flags is off(S11: OFF), the controller 130 proceeds to S16, S17, and S18. In S18, ifthe controller 130 determines that the liquid-level signals changed fromthe lower level (L) to the higher level (H) (S18: L->H), in other words,if the controller 130 determines that the ink in the cartridge 200 isexhausted, in S20, the controller 130 conducts a third updating process.

[Third Updating Process]

In the third updating process shown in FIG. 8C, the controller 130 mayupdate the first remainder value and the second remainder value with afirst predetermined value and a second predetermined value,respectively. That is, the discharged amount value indicating theestimated amount of the ink having been consumed in the image printingin the past may be different from an actual amount of the ink havingbeen consumed. In this regard, the first remainder amount and the secondremainder amount, which are updated each time an image is printed on asheet, may contain accumulated differences. The third updating processmay eliminate the differences contained in the first remainder amountand the second remainder amount.

In S47, the controller 130 writes the first predetermined value over theinitial first remainder value having been stored in the memory device inthe IC chip 247. The first predetermined value may be, for example, zero(0). In S48, the controller 130 saves the second predetermined value asthe initial second remainder value in the EEPROM 134 and the RAM 133.The third updating process ends thereat. The second predetermined valueindicates an amount of the ink in the liquid compartment 171 in the tank160 when the level of the ink in the liquid compartment 171 is at thethreshold position P and may be prepared in advance in the ROM 132.

Following the third updating process in S20, in S22, the controller 130determines whether a next image to be printed on a new sheet is inqueue. If the next image is in queue (S22: YES), the flow returns to S11and proceeds to the steps onward. If no next image is in queue (S22:NO), the image forming process ends thereat.

In S11, if the controller 130 determines that the S_Empty flags is off(S11: OFF), the controller 130 proceeds to S16, S17, and S18. In S18, ifthe controller 130 determines that the liquid-level signal stayunchanged at the higher level (H) (S18: H->H), in S21, the controller130 conducts a fourth updating process. In other words, once the ink inthe cartridge 200 is exhausted, and until the cartridge 200 is exchangedwith a new cartridge 200, the controller 130 repeats the fourth updatingprocess.

[Fourth Updating Process]

In the fourth updating process shown in FIG. 8D, the controller 130calculates a value for the second remainder value and determine whetherthe calculated second remainder value indicates an amount, which issufficient for printing an image continuously. In particular, in SM, thecontroller 130 reads the initial second remainder value in either theRAM 133 or the EEPROM 134. In S52, the controller 130 reads a partialdischarged amount value in the EEPROM 134. The partial discharged amountvalue indicates a sum of the amounts of the ink discharged by the head21 from the time, when the signals from the liquid-level sensor 155changed from the lower-level (L) to the higher level (H), up to thecurrent moment. In S53, the controller 130 subtracts the partialdischarged amount value from the initial second remainder value read inSM to calculate a new value for the second remainder value.

In S54, the controller 130 writes the new value for the second remaindervalue calculated in S53 over the existing second remainder value in theRAM 133 read in SM. Meanwhile, the first remainder value stays the same,without being overwritten, as the first predetermined value, i.e., zero(0), until the cartridge 200 is exchanged with a new cartridge 200.

In S55, the controller 130 determines whether the new second remaindervalue is greater than or equal to a third predetermined value, which maybe prepared in advance in the EEPROM 134.

In S55, if the controller 130 determines that the second remainder valueis greater than or equal to the third predetermined value, in otherwords, if the image is continuously printable (S55: YES), skips S56 andends the fourth updating process thereat. On the other hand, if thecontroller 130 determines that the second remainder value is smallerthan the third predetermined value, in other words, if the image may notbe continuously printed (S55: NO), in S56, the controller 130 sets theS_Empty flag on and ends the fourth updating process thereat.

In the image forming process, as described above, the first remaindervalue and the second remainder value may be determined based on theamount of the ink consumed each time when an image is printed on asheet. Meanwhile, the first remainder value and the second remaindervalue may not necessarily be updated on a sheet basis but may be updatedon basis of a different unit, for example, each time a row of image isprinted in a path on a sheet. Moreover, the second updating process, thethird updating process, and the fourth updating process may be conductednot only when an image is printed but also when the inks are dischargedfrom the heads 21 for, for example, maintenance or cleaning.

[Average Usage Value Determining Process]

The controller 130 may meanwhile conduct an average usage valuedetermining process shown in FIG. 9. In the average usage valuedetermining process, an average usage value indicating a quantity ofsheets used for printing images in the past per unit amount of the ink.

The controller 130 stands by until image printing starts (S61: NO). Inthis regard, the average usage value determining process may betriggered by start of image printing. When the controller 130 determinesthat image printing starts (S61: YES), in S62, the controller 130 countsa current discharged amount value indicating the amount of the inkcurrently discharged from the head 21 since the start of image printingin S61 and a quantity of printed sheets used for image printing sincethe start of image printing in S61. The controller 130 continuescounting (S62) until the image printing is completed (S63: NO).

In S63, when the controller 130 determines that the image printing iscompleted (S63: YES), in S64, the controller 130 reads a total printedquantity, which is a sum of the sheets used in the past image printingfrom the time of the exchange of the cartridges 200, and the totaldischarged amount value existing in the RAM 133 or the EEPROM 134.

In S65, the controller 130 adds the printed sheet quantity counted inS62 to the total printed quantity read in S64 and writes the sum of theprinted quantity and the total printed quantity over the existing totalprinted quantity in the EEPROM 134 to update the total printed quantity.In S65, further, the controller 130 adds the current discharged amountvalue counted in S62 to the total discharged amount value read in S64and writes the summed discharged amount values over the existing totaldischarged amount value in the EEPROM 134 to update the total dischargedamount value.

In S66, the controller 130 divides the updated total printed quantity bythe updated total discharged amount value to obtain an average usagevalue, which indicates a printable quantity per unit amount of the ink.In S67, the controller 130 saves the average usage value in the RAM 133and writes the average usage value over the existing average usage valuein the EEPROM 134.

[Objects Determining Process]

The controller 130 determining the first remainder value and the secondremainder value in the image forming process (see FIG. 7) may proceed toan objects determining process shown in FIG. 10 and described in thefollowing paragraphs. In the objects determining process, the controller130 may determine whether the twenty-first object 271, e.g., theexclamation mark (!), the twenty-second object 272, e.g., the cross-outmark (x), the twenty-fourth object, e.g., the exclamation mark (!), orthe twenty-fifth object, e.g., the cross-out mark (x) should bedisplayed or not, and lengths of the seventeenth object 267 and theeighteenth object 268.

In the objects determining process shown in FIG. 10, in S71, thecontroller 130 reads the latest first remainder value and the latestsecond remainder value stored in the RAM 133. In S72, the controller 130reads the value in the S_Empty flag to determine whether the amount ofthe remaining ink is sufficient to continue and print an image on asheet.

In S72, if the controller 130 determines that the S_Empty flag is on(S72: ON), in S73, the controller 130 determines the length of the barin the seventeenth object 267 to be none (zero: 0), and in S74, thecontroller 130 determines the length of the bar in the eighteenth object268 to be none (zero: 0). Further, in S75, the controller 130 determinesthat the twenty-second object 272 (cross-out mark: x) and thetwenty-fifth object 275 (cross-out mark: x) to be displayed. The objectsdetermining process ends thereat.

In S72, if the controller 130 determines that the S_Empty flag is off(S72: OFF), in other words, if the amount of the remaining ink issufficient to print an image on a sheet, in S76, the controllerdetermines the value from the liquid-level sensor 155. In other words,the controller 130 determines whether the ink in the cartridge 200 isexhausted.

In S76, if the controller 130 determines that the value from theliquid-level sensor 155 indicates the higher level (H) (S76: H), inother words, the ink in the cartridge 200 is exhausted, in S77, thecontroller 130 determines the length of the bar in the seventeenthobject 267 to be none (zero: 0), and in S78, the controller 130determines to display the twenty-first object 271 and the twenty-fourthobject 274, which may include the exclamation mark (!). In S79, thecontroller 130 determines the length of the bar in the eighteenth object268 in accordance with the second remainder value read in S71. Theobjects determining process ends thereat. Thus, once the ink in thecartridge 200 is exhausted, solely the eighteenth object 268 may changethe forms thereof to reflect the amount of the ink in the tank 160thereafter. Therefore, the user's attention may be focused on theeighteenth object 268 rather than the seventeenth object 267 object 252.

In S76, on the other hand, if the controller 130 determines that thevalue from the liquid-level sensor 155 indicates the lower level (S76:L), in other words, if the ink in the cartridge 200 is not exhausted, inS70, the controller 130 determines the length of the bar in theseventeenth object 267 in accordance with the first remainder value readin S71. In S81, the controller 130 determines the length of the bar inthe eighteenth object 268 to be a maximum length for the bar. Theobjects determining process ends thereat.

The controller 130 may conduct the objects determining process shown inFIG. 10 each time the controller 130 conducts the image forming processshown in FIG. 7.

The controller 130 may moreover conduct one of printable quantitydetermining processes, which are described in the following paragraphsand as shown in FIGS. 11A-11B. In the printable quantity determiningprocesses, the printable quantity is determined based on the firstremainder value and the second remainder value updated in the imageforming process (see FIG. 7) and the average usage value updated in theaverage usage value determining process (see FIG. 9).

[Printable Quantity Determining Process (ISO Equivalent)]

In the following paragraphs, described will be the printable quantitydetermining process (ISO equivalent).

As shown in FIG. 11A, in S82, the controller 130 reads the IC chip 247in the cartridge 200 for the type information of the cartridge 200. InS83, the controller 130 extracts a standard usage value for thecartridge 200 from the type information. The standard usage valueindicates a quantity of sheets per unit amount of ink printable in thetest method prescribed by ISO. The standard usage value may be preparedin advance in a table in association with the type information andstored in the EEPROM 134.

In S84, the controller 130 reads the first remainder value and thesecond remainder value in the RAM 133 and, in S85, calculates theprintable quantity (ISO equivalent) based on the first remainder valueand the second remainder value in the RAM 133 read in S84. Inparticular, the controller 130 sums the first remainder value and thesecond remainder value to calculate the total remainder value. Further,the controller 130 may multiply the total remainder value by thestandard usage value to calculate the printable quantity (ISOequivalent). In S86, the controller 130 saves the printable quantity(ISO equivalent) in the RAM 133 and the EEPROM 134. The printablequantity determining process ends (ISO equivalent) thereat. Thecontroller 130 may conduct the printable quantity determining process(ISO equivalent) each time the controller 130 conducts the image formingprocess shown in FIG. 7.

[Printable Quantity Determining Process (Consumption Basis)]

As shown in FIG. 11B, in S91, the controller 130 reads the average usagevalue in the EEPROM 134 and, in S92, reads the first remainder value andthe second remainder value in the RAM 133. In S93, the controller 130calculates the printable quantity (consumption basis) based on theaverage usage value, the first remainder amount, and the secondremainder amount having been read. In particular, the controller 130sums the first remainder value and the second remainder value tocalculate the total remainder value. Further, the controller 130multiplies the total remainder value by the average usage value tocalculate the printable quantity (consumption basis). In S94, thecontroller 130 saves the printable quantity (consumption basis) in theRAM 133 and the EEPROM 134 and ends the printable quantity determiningprocess (consumption basis). The controller 130 may conduct the averageusage value determining process shown in FIG. 9 and the printablequantity determining process (consumption basis) shown in FIG. 11B eachtime the controller 130 conducts the image forming process shown in FIG.7.

[Ink Remainder Indication Displaying Process]

The controller 130 may conduct an ink remainder indication displayingprocess as shown in FIG. 12 using the printable quantity determined inone of the printable quantity determining processes (see FIGS. 11A-11B).

In S101, the controller 130 determines whether the current selection fordisplaying the printable quantity is on basis of the ISO standard or theink consumption. If the controller 130 determines the ISO standard basisis currently selected (S101: ISO equivalent), in S102, the controller130 reads the printable quantity (ISO equivalent) in the RAM 133 or theEEPROM 134. In S103, the controller 130 generates the first inkremainder indication screen (see FIG. 14A) containing the first object251, which indicates the printable quantity (ISO equivalent), andcontrol the display 28 to display the generated first ink remainderindication screen. The ink remainder indication displaying process endsthereat.

In S101, on the other hand, if the controller 130 determines that theconsumption basis is currently selected (S101: consumption basis), inS104, the controller 130 reads the printable quantity (consumptionbasis) in the RAM 133 or the EEPROM 134. In S105, the controller 130generates the second ink remainder indication screen (see FIG. 14B)containing the second object 252, which indicates the printable quantity(consumption basis), and control the display 28 to display the generatedsecond ink remainder indication screen. The ink remainder indicationdisplaying process ends thereat.

[Benefits by the Embodiment]

According to the embodiment described above, either the first inkremainder indication screen, containing the first object 251 thatindicates the printable quantity (ISO equivalent), or the second inkremainder indication screen, containing the second object 252 thatindicates the printable quantity (consumption basis), may be displayedin the display 28. Moreover, through the third object 253 containing thecharacter string “change setting,” the eleventh object 261, or thetwelfth object 262, the user may select whether the first ink remainderindication should be displayed or the second ink remainder indicationscreen should be displayed in the display 28. Therefore, the printablequantity according to the method preferred by the user may be displayedin the display 28.

According to the embodiment described above, the fourth object 254,which explains that the printable quantity being displayed is based onthe ISO standard, may be displayed along with the first object 251 inthe display 28. Therefore, the user may recognize that the printablequantity being displayed is based on the ISO standard easily.

According to the embodiment described above, the fifth object 255, whichexplains that the printable quantity being displayed is based on thepast ink consumption, may be displayed along with the second object 252in the display 28. Therefore, the user may recognize that the printablequantity being displayed is based on the past ink consumption easily.

According to the embodiment described above, the first informationscreen, which contains description concerning the calculation method ofthe printable quantity based on the ISO standard, may be displayed by atapping action on the sixth object 256 in the first ink remainderindication screen. Meanwhile, the second information screen, whichcontains description concerning the calculation method of the printablequantity based on the ink consumption, may be displayed by a tappingaction on the seventh object 257 in the second ink remainder indicationscreen. Therefore, the user may recognize the bases for the printablequantities easily.

According to the embodiment described above, the change setting screen,through which the user may select whether the printable quantity (ISOequivalent) should be displayed or the printable quantity (consumptionbasis) should be displayed, may be displayed by a tapping action on thethird object 253 in the first information screen. Meanwhile, the changesetting screen may be displayed by a tapping action on the third object253 in the second information screen, which contains the informationconcerning the printable quantity (consumption basis). In other words,the screen in the display 28 may be switched to the change settingscreen from either the first information screen, which contains theinformation concerning the printable quantity (ISO equivalent), and thesecond information screen, which contains the information concerning theprintable quantity (consumption basis). Therefore, the user may switchthe indication of the printable quantity between the printable quantity(ISO equivalent) and the printable quantity (consumption basis) easily.In this regard, usability of the printer 10 to the user may be improved.

According to the embodiment described above, by a tapping action on theeleventh object 261 in the change setting screen, the printable quantity(ISO equivalent) may be determined to be displayed, and the firstinformation screen may be displayed in the display 28. On the otherhand, by a tapping action on the twelfth object 262 in the changesetting screen, the printable quantity (consumption basis) may bedetermined to be displayed, and the second information screen may bedisplayed in the display 28. As the first information screen or thesecond information screen is displayed, the user may be given anopportunity to change or select the setting in the printable quantityonce again. Therefore, if, for example, the user erroneously selects anunintended setting for the printable quantity, the user may not need toreturn to the first ink remainder indication screen or to the second inkremainder indication but may select an intended setting for theprintable quantity through the change setting screen. In this regard,usability of the printer 10 may be improved. In this regard, usabilityof the printer 10 to the user may be improved.

According to the embodiment described above, after changing the settingsfor the printable quantity, the first ink remainder indication screenmay be displayed in the display 28 by a tapping action on the thirteenthobject 263 in the first information screen. Moreover, after changing thesettings for the printable quantity, the second ink remainder indicationscreen may be displayed in the display 28 by a tapping action on thefourteenth object 264 in the second information screen. With the firstink remainder indication screen or the second ink remainder indicationscreen being displayed, the user may recognize that the settings havebeen changed. In this regard, an incorrect setting for the printablequantity may be prevented. In this regard, usability of the printer 10to the user may be improved.

According to the embodiment described above, the detailed information toexplain the printable quantity (ISO equivalent) and the printablequantity (consumption basis) may be displayed in the display 28 by atapping action on the fifteenth object 265. While the detailedinformation concerning the printable quantity (ISO equivalent) and theprintable quantity (consumption basis) printable is displayed in thesingle screen, the user may recognize the difference between theprintable quantity (ISO equivalent) and the printable quantity(consumption basis) clearly. Therefore, the user may select thepreferred setting for the printable quantity between the printablequantity (ISO equivalent) and the printable quantity (consumption basis)without difficulty, and usability of the printer 10 to the user may beimproved.

According to the embodiment described above, the printable quantity (ISOequivalent) or the printable quantity (consumption basis) may bedisplayed along with the indication of the remainder amount of the inkin the cartridge 200 and the remainder amount of the ink in the tank160. Therefore, the user may recognize the ink remainder amount and theprintable quantity concurrently. In this regard, usability of theprinter 10 to the user may be improved.

Modified Example

Although examples of carrying out the invention has been described,those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerousvariations and permutations of the image forming apparatus and thecomputer-readable storage medium that fall within the spirit and scopeof the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

For example, the average usage value determined in the average usagevalue determining process (see FIG. 9) may be resettable. For example, aresetting object (not shown), through which the average usage value maybe cleared and reset, may be displayed in the change setting screen (seeFIG. 16A). A tapping action on the resetting object by the user maycause the average usage value to be reset. For example, the controller130 may overwrite the total printed quantity, the total dischargedamount value, and the average usage value in the EEPROM 134 by zero (0).For another example, alternately to the resetting object, a reset-allbutton to initialize the entire data may be provided, or a reset-allobject may be displayed in the display 28.

[Benefits by the Modified Example]

By resetting the average usage value, a new average usage value may beprovided when, for example, the user changes the styles to use theprinter 10, or a user different from the past user is using the printer10.

More Examples

For another example, the second object 252 to be displayed in the secondink remainder indication screen (see FIG. 14B) may be hidden, or not bedisplayed, depending on the total printed quantity or the totaldischarged amount value counted in the average usage value determiningprocess (see FIG. 9). In particular, the average usage value, which iscalculated at the beginning of image printing (S61), may vary largelyeach time the printer 10 is used. If the average usage value varieslargely, the printable quantity (consumption basis) indicated by thesecond object 252 may tend to vary largely as well, which may beconfusing to the user. In this regard, the controller 130 in the printer10 may determine whether the total printed quantity or the totaldischarged amount value is greater than or equal to a predeterminedthreshold value prepared in the EEPROM 134. When the controller 130determines that the total printed quantity or the total dischargedamount value is greater than or equal to the predetermined thresholdvalue, the controller 130 may determine to display the second object252. On the other hand, when the controller 130 determines that thetotal printed quantity or the total discharged amount value is smallerthan the predetermined threshold value, the controller 130 may determinenot to display the second object 252. Thus, the second object 252, whichmay vary largely each time the printer 10 is used, may not be displayedin the second ink remainder indication screen when the total printedquantity or the total discharged amount value is smaller than thepredetermined threshold value. Therefore, the user may be prevented fromconfusion or concerns that the printer 10 may have a technical problem.

Moreover, when the controller 130 determines that the total printedquantity or the total discharged amount value is smaller than thepredetermined threshold value, the controller 130 may display the firstink remainder indication screen (see FIG. 14A) rather than the secondink remainder indication screen (see FIG. 14A). In this case, an object,which conveys a message that the printable quantity (ISO equivalent)should be displayed in place of the printable quantity (consumptionbasis) until the total printed quantity or the total discharged amountvalue exceeds the threshold value, may be displayed in place of theninth object 259 or along with the ninth object 259 in the display 28.

For another example, the colorant to be used to form images on sheets inthe printer 10 may not necessarily be limited to ink, but may be, forexample, toner.

For another example, the ink in the cartridge 200 may not necessarily beconveyed to the tank 160 by the effect of the hydraulic difference butmay be conveyed by, for example, the effect of gravity or a drivingmechanism such as a pump. When the ink is to be conveyed from thecartridge 200 to the tank by the driving mechanism, the tank may bemounted on, for example, the head 21.

For another example, the printer 10 may not necessarily be equipped withboth the cartridge 200 and the tank 160 but may be equipped with thetank 160 alone or the cartridge 200 alone. If, for example, the printer10 is equipped with the tank 160 alone, a remainder amount of the inkremaining in the tank 160 when the signals from the liquid-level sensor155 shifts from the lower level (L) to the higher level (H) may bedetermined to be the initially filled amount. For another example, theinitially filled amount value may be manually input by the user in thecontroller 130 when the user loads the ink in the tank 160. Thecontroller 130 may calculate the second remainder value based on theinitially filled amount value and the total discharged amount value anddisplay the printable quantity calculated on the ISO equivalent basis orthe consumption basis.

For another example, the standard usage value and the average usagevalue may not necessarily indicate the printable quantities per unitamount of the ink but may indicate, for example, a standard amount andan average amount of the ink to be used to print an image on a singlesheet. In other words, the standard usage value and the average usagevalue may be any values as long as the printable quantity is derivablefrom the values.

For another example, the screen in the display 28 may not necessarily beswitchable from the first ink remainder indication screen to the secondink remainder indication screen, or from the second ink remainderindication screen to the first ink remainder indication screen, throughthe intervening first information screen, second information screen, orthe change setting screen. In other words, the screen in the display 28may be switchable from the first ink remainder indication screen to thesecond ink remainder indication screen and from the second ink remainderindication screen to the first ink remainder indication screen directly.For another example, the screen in the display 28 may be switchable fromthe first ink remainder indication screen to the second ink remainderindication screen and from the second ink remainder indication screen tothe first ink remainder indication screen through another interveningscreen other than the first information screen, second informationscreen, or change setting screen.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image forming apparatus, comprising: arecorder connected with a container configured to store a colorant; adisplay; an input interface; a memory; and a controller, configured to:control the recorder to consume the colorant to print images on sheets;count a consumption value reflecting an amount of the colorant consumedby the recorder and a quantity of the sheets used to print the images;determine an average usage value based on the consumption value and thequantity of the sheets; obtain a filled amount value indicating anamount of the colorant filled in the container and determine a firstprintable quantity based on the obtained filled amount value, thecounted consumption value, and a standard usage value stored in thememory; determine a second printable quantity based on the filled amountvalue, the consumption value, and the average usage value; control thedisplay to display a first screen including a first object in thedisplay, the first object indicating the first printable quantity;control the display to display a second screen including a second objectin the display, the second object indicating the second printablequantity; and control the display to display a screen including a thirdobject, through which one of the first object and the second object tobe displayed in the display is selectable.
 2. The image formingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is furtherconfigured to: control the display to display the first screen includingthe first object and a fourth object, the fourth object expressing thefirst object being displayed indicates the first printable quantity; andcontrol the display to display the second screen including the secondobject and a fifth object, the fifth object expressing the second objectbeing displayed indicates the second printable quantity.
 3. The imageforming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the input interfaceincludes a touch sensor laid over the display; wherein the controller isconfigured to detect a position of a touching action on an object beingdisplayed in the display in response to input from the touch sensor;wherein the controller is configured to: control the display to displaythe first screen including the first object and a sixth object in thedisplay; control the display to display the second screen including thesecond object and a seventh object in the display; control the displayto display a third screen including an eighth object in response todetection of a touching action on the sixth object, the eighth objectincluding information concerning a calculation method for the firstprintable quantity; and control the display to display a fourth screenincluding a ninth object in response to detection of a touching actionon the seventh object, the ninth object including information concerninga calculation method for the second printable quantity.
 4. The imageforming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller isconfigured to: control the display to display the third object in thethird screen; control the display to display the third object in thefourth screen; and control the display to display a fifth screenincluding a tenth object in response to detection of a tapping action onthe third object, the tenth object indicating that one of the firstprintable quantity and the second printable quantity to be displayed inthe display is selectable.
 5. The image forming apparatus according toclaim 4, wherein the controller is configured to: control the display todisplay the fifth screen including an eleventh object, the eleventhobject expressing that the first printable quantity is to be displayed,and a twelfth object, the twelfth object expressing that the secondprintable is to be displayed; control the display to display the thirdscreen in response to detection of a touching action on the eleventhobject; and control the display to display the fourth screen in responseto detection of a touching action on the twelfth object.
 6. The imageforming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the controller isconfigured to: control the display to display a thirteenth object in thethird screen; control the display to display a fourteenth object in thefourth screen; control the display to display the first screen inresponse to detection of a touching action on the thirteenth object; andcontrol the display to display the second screen in response todetection of a touching action on the fourteenth object.
 7. The imageforming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the controller isconfigured to: control the display to display the fifth screen includinga fifteenth object, the fifteenth object indicating connection to asixth screen; and control the display to display the sixth screenincluding a sixteenth object in response to detection of a touchingaction on the fifteenth object, the sixteenth object includingdescriptive information concerning the first printable quantity and thesecond printable quantity.
 8. The image forming apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the controller is configured to reset the average usagevalue in response to a resetting command input through the inputinterface.
 9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, whereinthe container comprises: a cartridge comprising a first compartment tostore the colorant; and a tank connected with the cartridge through afirst channel and with the recorder through a second channel, the tankcomprising a second compartment to store the colorant.
 10. The imageforming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the container comprisesa plurality of containers, each of which comprises the cartridge and thetank.
 11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein thecontroller is configured to: control the display to display the firstscreen including the first object, a fourth object, the fourth objectindicating a first remainder amount being an amount of the colorantstored in the first compartment in the cartridge, and a fifth object,the fifth object indicating a second remainder amount being an amount ofthe colorant stored in the second compartment in the tank; and controlthe display to display the second screen including the second object,the fourth object, and the fifth object.
 12. The image forming apparatusaccording to claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to: read afirst remainder value indicating the first remainder amount and a secondremainder value indicating the second remainder amount from the memory;calculate a total remainder value by subtracting the consumption valuefrom sum of the first remainder value and the second remainder value;determine an updated first remainder value and an updated secondremainder value based on the calculated total remainder value; store theupdated first remainder value and the updated second remainder value inthe memory; and determine a form of the fourth object reflecting theupdated first remainder value and a form of the fifth object reflectingthe updated second remainder value.
 13. The image forming apparatusaccording to claim 9, wherein the standard usage value indicates aquantity of sheets printable per unit amount of the colorant; whereinthe controller is configured to: read a first remainder value indicatingan amount of the colorant stored in the first compartment in thecartridge and a second remainder value indicating an amount of thecolorant stored in the second compartment in the tank from the memory;calculate a total remainder value by subtracting the consumption valuefrom sum of the first remainder value and the second remainder value;determine an updated first remainder value and an updated secondremainder value based on the total remainder value; store the updatedfirst remainder value and the updated second remainder value in thememory; and determine the first printable quantity by multiplying thetotal remainder value by the standard usage value.
 14. The image formingapparatus according to claim 9, wherein the average usage valueindicates a quantity of sheets printable per unit amount of thecolorant; wherein the controller is configured to: read a firstremainder value indicating an amount of the colorant stored in the firstcompartment in the cartridge and a second remainder value indicating anamount of the colorant stored in the second compartment in the tank fromthe memory; calculate a total remainder value by subtracting theconsumption value from sum of the first remainder value and the secondremainder value; determine an updated first remainder value and anupdated second remainder value based on the total remainder value; storethe updated first remainder value and the updated second remainder valuein the memory; determine the average usage value by dividing the countedquantity of the sheets used to print the images by the consumptionvalue; and determine the second printable quantity by multiplying thetotal remainder value by the average usage value.
 15. A non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium storing computer readable instructionsthat are executable by a computer in an image forming apparatus, theimage forming apparatus comprising a recorder connected with a containerconfigured to store a colorant, a display, an input interface, and amemory, the computer readable instructions, when executed by thecomputer, causing the computer to: control the recorder to consume thecolorant to print images on sheets; count a consumption value reflectingan amount of the colorant consumed by the recorder and a quantity of thesheets used to print the images; determine an average usage valuereflecting the consumption value and the quantity of the sheets; obtaina filled amount value indicating an amount of the colorant filled in thecontainer and determine a first printable quantity reflecting theobtained filled amount value, the counted consumption value, and astandard usage value stored in the memory; determine a second printablequantity reflecting the filled amount value, the consumption value, andthe average usage value; control the display to display a first screenincluding a first object in a first screen in the display, the firstobject indicating the first printable quantity; control the display todisplay a second screen including a second object in the display, thesecond object indicating the second printable quantity; and control thedisplay to display a screen including a third object, through which oneof the first object and the second object to be displayed in the displayis selectable.